Anthony Francis Gagliardi Jr.

With heavy hearts and immense gratitude for a life well lived, we remember and celebrate Anthony Francis Gagliardi II, whose legacy will endure in the hearts of those he loved. Known to his friends as Tony and lovingly to the next generation as “Pops,” he was a salt-of-the-earth man who loved his family and the simple joys of life.

Tony met the love of his life, Patty, when he was just 14 years old, after he and his friends crashed a girls’ slumber party in Newburgh, New York. Shy and unsure how to break the ice, he did what any young boy might do: he threw popcorn at her. Little did they know this small act of mischief would begin a remarkable love story.

After high school, Tony proudly served in the United States Air Force. His natural mechanical abilities, honed as a teenager bringing old junkyard cars back to life, were quickly recognized during his aptitude testing, earning him an engineering assignment. While stationed in Louisiana, he snuck away from camp one night and hitchhiked all the way back to New York to surprise Patty and propose to her on Christmas Eve. Theirs was the quintessential love story, spanning 73 years. After Patty’s passing, Tony could bear only seven months without her. We find comfort in knowing that they are together again.

Tony loved boating, fishing, and nothing more than a house filled with the laughter, noise, and joyful chaos of family, while he and Patty worked their magic in the kitchen. His grandchildren treasured their time sitting with him on the dock, where he had built a homemade reef for the local marine life in the canal. He taught them how to fish and, perhaps more memorably, how to turn a pufferfish into a balloon. When the house was quiet, he could often be found tinkering in the yard, diving into the pool, taking his boat apart just to put it back together again, or, on occasion, yelling at Comcast customer service with a scotch in hand. He could identify just about any fish, fix anything in your house, and make the best Brooklyn pizza in town. He was happiest surrounded by the people he loved, making memories in the home and life he had built.

Anthony passed away surrounded by family on the morning of Wednesday, October 21, 2026. His memory lives on through his children, Kathy, Richard, Marta, Rhonda, and Rene; his grandchildren, Allison, Nicholas, Sara, Toni, Hogan, and Charly; his great-grandchildren, Andre, Bennett, Grace, and Anna; his sister-in-law, Lois Gagliardi; and his nieces, Jamie and Lori Gagliardi; his nieces and nephews, Jack Fanning, Barb Malfa, and Tim Fanning; as well as many more loved ones.

He is reunited with his beloved wife of 66 years, Patricia Gagliardi; his eldest son, Tony Gagliardi III; his parents, Mary and Anthony Francis Gagliardi; his younger brother, Paul Gagliardi; and many other loved ones who welcome him home.

Though his absence will be deeply felt, the love he gave, the stories and traditions he leaves behind, and the life he built with Patty will live on for generations to come

Funaeral Services will be held on Monday, November 9, 2026 from 12 pm - 2 pm at Aycock-Riverside funeral Home, 1112 Military Trail, Jupiter, FL 33458. Burial will follow at Riverside Memoirial Park in Tequesta, FL.