He was born as Massoud Bonakdar on June 28, 1929 in Tehran, Iran to Badri Moeyeri and Hossein Bonakdar. Tony was married to Donna Lee Choate and had two sons, Michael and Robert Bonakdar.
Tony grew up fast as he lost his father at a very young age. After completing primary education in Tehran he began several successful business endeavors including a youth club and had his lifelong dream of coming to America fulfilled when he was accepted to South East Missouri College to study Industrial Engineering, a degree he completed in 1963. During his college summers he was hired at the Riverview Amusement Park near Chicago, Illinois where, in 1962, his soulmate Donna also began working. After several years of courting, Tony and Donna were married in the summer of 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, a city near and dear to them both.
Their son, Michael, was born in 1965 in Chicago and soon thereafter moved to Iran where Tony was offered a position as a telecommunication engineer and Donna began teaching English at the university as well as teaching herself Farsi so she could communicate with her relatives and students. In 1971, their second son Robert was born in Tehran and the family moved to Kerman, Iran where based on his US education and leadership experience, Tony was promoted to head of telecommunications for the region.
The family lived in Kerman until 1979 where, unfortunately, due to the Iranian Revolution, they had to flee as refugees traveling to find safety in England and Canada, before settling in Chicago where they temporarily lived with Donna’s family.
In 1980, the family moved to Las Vegas to begin a new life where Tony worked in culinary services. Tony was grateful for the opportunities that America provided him and later that year officially became a US citizen.
Over time, Tony adapted his industrial engineering skills and become a successful Las Vegas home builder and real estate developer. Tony never quit working or learning, including studying and earning his contractor’s license in his mid 70’s. Tony’s ambition and drive was passed on to his sons Michael, who earned an MBA at UNLV which led to a successful casino and resort business management career, and Robert, who earned an MD at the University of Nevada School of Medicine and is currently practicing medicine at Scripps Clinic.
Although Tony was a hard worker, he had many other passions including travel, food and sports. He loved to travel with his family and especially enjoying the waters of Hawaii, La Jolla and Lake Tahoe as well as joining his sons at one of their conferences or a sporting event in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, and San Diego where he would visit his favorite landmarks, stadiums and restaurants. He loved food and would often post pictures of himself enjoying some of his favorite meals of lobster, steak, Italian and Persian cuisine. Perhaps his greatest love, next to Donna, was his grandkids who he would often be found joking and wrestling with, watching their soccer and baseball games or supporting their education, hobbies or first cars.
He is survived by his wife Donna and sister Golshahr (Keihani) Garagouzlou as well as his older son Michael, married to June Bonakdar with their son Michael II., and Robert married to Jennifer with their children Bodhi, Zoey and Skylar.
In lieu of flower, the family is requesting that donations be made to:
American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org
American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org
The Red Cross www.redcross.org
Feeding America www.feedingamerica.org
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2021 at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89123; services will begin at 12:30pm, a Celebration of Life at 2:00pm, and burial at 3:00pm.
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