Anthony Vincent Rainone, Sr.

Anthony Vincent Rainone, Sr., of Melbourne FL, passed away from metastatic cancer on Monday, December 21st, 2020, at home. He was 98.

Anthony was born on October 9th, 1922 to Paolina (D’Orsi) Rainone and Giovanni Rainone at their home on East 116th Street in Harlem NY. While his given birth name was Donnino Vincenzo Rainone, he was not fond of it, instead taking his baptismal name Antonio Vincenzo Rainone, which he eventually legally changed to Anthony Vincent Rainone.

Anthony’s father, a tailor whose home was often filled with models waiting for their fittings, briefly moved the family to Pennsylvania, before moving back to New York and settling in the Bronx. It was in that borough that Anthony eventually met his wife Mary Ann (Bustya) Rainone at a Halloween Party. They wed in the Bronx on April 24th, 1949.

The youngest of seven children, Anthony attended St. Joseph’s College for several years, but the world was rapidly becoming dangerous with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany. Heeding the patriotic call, Anthony enlisted in the US Naval Coast Guard. He saw battle in several overseas theatres, including off the coast of Africa. His Coast Guard Cutter was attacked and sunk by the Nazis resulting in the death of many of Anthony’s naval friends.

After his World War II service ended, Anthony returned to the Bronx. He found employment with the Continental Insurance Company located on Maiden Lane in Manhattan NY, as an insurance underwriter. He and his wife welcomed the birth of their first child, son John Rainone, now of Melbourne FL. With the additions of their second child, daughter Maryann (Rainone) Kaiser, now of Queens Village NY, and their third child, daughter Pauline (Rainone) Jacques, now of Melbourne FL, Anthony and his wife relocated to Commack NY. It was with the birth of their fourth child, Anthony Rainone Jr., now of Brooklyn NY, that the family relocated to Queens Village NY, a shorter commute for Anthony to his Lower Manhattan position. Eventually, Anthony switched companies to CNA located in Melville NY. In the late 1990s, Anthony and his wife Mary Ann retired to Melbourne FL.

Anthony was a diehard New York Yankees fan. Many phone conversations reflected the current state of his baseball team. His youngest son remembers long summers growing up in Queens focused on the backyard pool and barbecues manned by his father. Anthony was a devoted parishioner first at Our Lady of Lourdes in Queens Village NY, and then at Ascension Catholic Church in Melbourne FL. A man of deep faith who once considered joining the priesthood, Anthony dedicated his retirement years volunteering at Ascension. Putting his tinkering and fix-it skills to work in their thrift store, visiting the elderly at local nursing homes, and offering communion to the home bound. His love of God was apparent to all who knew him. Anthony was a lifelong cigar aficionado starting in his teens, and he was devoted to his favorite red table wine Carlo Rossi. He was also known to make a delicious egg plant parmigiana. Anthony was thrilled to be part of a WWII veterans tour visiting war memorials in Washington DC, a few years ago.

Anthony was preceded in death by his parents Giovanni and Paolina Rainone of the Bronx NY; his loving wife Mary Ann Rainone of Melbourne FL; his brother Giuseppi (Joseph) Rainone of the Bronx NY; his sister Ida Lupo of Newburgh NY; his sister Sylvia Donatelli of Canastota NY; his brother Orlando Rainone of Garden City NY; his sister Victoria Reynolds of San Antonio TX; his sister Filomena (Ines) Cossa of Newburgh NY; his son-in-law Phillip Kaiser Sr. of Queens Village NY; and his son-in-law Mark Jacques of Long Island NY.

Anthony is survived by his son John Rainone and his wife Debbie Rainone of Melbourne FL; his daughter Maryann Kaiser of Queens Village NY; his daughter Pauline Jacques of Melbourne FL; his son Anthony Rainone Jr. and his wife Kimberly Tellus of Brooklyn NY; his grandchildren Tristan Rainone and his fiancé Amanda Bralick of Lake Mary FL; Phillip Kaiser Jr. of Tucson AZ; Paul Kaiser and his significant other Vaneide Giacobe of the Bronx NY; Jeannine Bayer and her husband John Bayer of Massapequa Park NY; Anthony Jacques and his significant other Miriam Dominguez Fernandez of Rockledge FL; Jean Paul Jacques of Miami FL; Gianni Matragrano and his wife Marieke Douma of Ottawa, Canada; his great-grandchildren John Bayer and James Bayer of Massapequa Park NY; and numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces all across the country. Anthony lived a full life and leaves behind many loving memories that will forever hold in the hearts of those who were blessed to know him.