Anthony Louis Fortunato, 88, passed away Friday, April 28th, 2017 at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. He was treated with compassion, kindness and respect by the staff of the Comfort Care Unit and Baystate Hospice. He was the proud son of an Italian Immigrant Family, the youngest son of nine children of the parents Leonardo Fortunato and Maria Grazia Bassoline Fortunato. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jessica (Folk) Fortunato, his sisters Mary Grady, Margaret DeCarlo, Rose Fulton and Helen Mancinelli; his brothers, James, Dominick, Anthony ( who died as a child an he was named after) and his brother Lawrence. They all loved him dearly and he loved them. He is survived by his son Anthony, his daughter in law Karen, who was the daughter he never had, his grandson Anthony Louis, named after him and his granddaughter, Gina Jessica Joanne Fortunato, named after her two grandmothers. He also leaves five great grandsons and and a great granddaughter.
He was raised in Easton, Pa and spent most of his adult life as a resident of South Hadley, Massachusetts. In his youth and a young adult, to his family and friends he was known as Tony or Butch. , He would later be known as Dad to his son, and Uncle Tony to his nieces and nephews. In 1984, he officially became Pop Pops with the birth of his grandson, a name he would carry for the rest of his life. He loved his grandchildren very much. He served 22 years in the United States Air Force, achieving promotion to the highest enlisted grade in the Air Force of Chief Master Sergeant. He declined the promotion in order to retire and retired a Senior Master Sergeant. He served in Alaska twice, Dover, Delaware, Andrews AFB outside our nations capital, Osan, South Korea and Westover AFB. He was manager of the NCO Club at Westover, the largest open mess in the Eighth Air Force. He received numerous awards and recognition, set records sales throughout the entire Air Force and was chosen to represent the Air Force at Cornell University. To his family though,he was Dad, Pop-Pops, and uncle Tony. Throughout his life he would make Sunday dinner for his family and have his grandchildren over also once a week for Pop-Pops amazing homemade sauce.
Throughout his life, he would have a large garden, emulating his father, growing tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and numerous vegetables, which would be frozen or canned to enjoy throughout the winter. He lovingly, forced his daughter in law to pick blueberries every year, from bushes that he had planted over 40 years ago. He loved cooking, good food and homemade wine. Every holiday, birthday and special occasion, he would give a generous gift of US Savings Bonds to his son, wife and grandchildren, that would be instrumental in helping fund their college education. Throughout his life he followed current events and voted faithfully. Despite failing health, he again wanted to vote in the last election. He was the proud son of Italian Immigrant parents, whose names were placed on the Ellis Island American Immigrant Wall of Honor. He knew that two of his brothers and a brother in law had served their country in Europe during WWII and returned home safely, his brother Lawrence receiving a Bronze star and Purple heart. He had proudly served 22 years in the United States Air Force. He was a kind, compassionate, caring man . From his parents, he had received the foundation and knew the importance of faith and family , a foundation he gave to his son, and a legacy he carried to his death. As his son, I was given the honor of having him as my father. When taking my father to vote in the election, I did not realize the significance that it would be the last time he would vote and have his opinion as a man heard. Still having some vision, but legally blind, I was given the honor and privilege of helping him vote on a paper ballot. His family knows his kindness and compassion and whose opinion he wanted to strongly oppose being the son of an Italian Immigrant Family. He loved and was loved by his family, his legacy will survive through us, but he will be greatly missed. His son cannot express in words how much he was loved and will be missed. Over the last two years, he was frequently hospitalized at Baystate Medical Center. The kindness, compassion, and care he received by the nurses and direct care givers is greatly appreciated by him and his family. Please accept our love and gratitude. A big hug and special Thank you to Dr. John Joelson, J.M. Cycz NP and the team at Pioneer Valley Cardiology; Dr. Richard Steingart and the team at the D'Amour Cancer Center; Dr. Marc Norris and the team of Baystate Vascular Surgery; Hospital Medicine and the staff who cared for him; and his primary care physician Dr. Andrew Levin, who together with Dr. Joelson cared for him for much of his adult life. Sincerely, the family of Anthony Fortunato, a man who served his country, identified himself, and lived his life as a humble ,proud Italian American man, a life based on love, faith, and family. A funeral mass will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Easton Pa. with burial to follow at St. Anthony"s Cemetery. This was the church his father, mother, and family brought him to be baptized 12 days after his birth, April 29, 1929. This is the church that he also served as an altar boy and was married and where his life will be celebrated by his family.