Anthony Herald Koonz

Born December 23, 1948 to Herald and Laura (Whitfield) Koonz of Georgia, Tony—as he was known to one and all—was raised with his large family in Redondo Beach, California. Upon graduation from a strict Catholic high school, Tony began his proud career with the US Marine Corps. On February 13, 1971 he married Margaret McCann and traveled with her to many duty stations including Hawaii and Okinawa before they settled in California for the birth of his daughter. Long absences and upheaval being a necessary part of military life, Tony nevertheless made time for family; his daughter was his constant fishing buddy and favorite caddy, as she could be counted on to fudge the score in exchange for a sundae after the 18th.

Tony retired from the Marine Corps in 1988 with the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. A decorated veteran who proudly served three tours in Vietnam, Tony met and married Barbara deFord in 1988. The family relocated one last time to Colorado in 1991, where Tony, never comfortable at leisure, continued to pursue a variety of interests: he acquired a mathematics degree, worked on a horse ranch, and devoted countless hours to creating his wife’s dream home.

Tony is survived by his daughter, Angela (Ryan) Chase; grandson Erik-Christopher Koonz; brothers David, Ben, Mark, Jake and sister, Dot Conner. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Steve, and his wife Barbara.

Graveside service will be held 2:00pm Monday, July 8, 2019 at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.