It is with enormous sadness that on June 30, 2020, Anthony Philip Samuel Brill, known to all as Tony, passed away at the age of 55 after a valiant four-year battle with colon cancer. Tony is survived by his wife, Mindy, his two children, Billy and Emma, his mother Marcia, sister Robin Davis, aunts Lisa Wanderman and Debra Onorato, and uncle Jeffrey Newman, as well as devoted friends, Andrei Smerechniak, Tina Pagliasotti, Pete Schneider, Ben Knauer and R.J. Rabin. Tony was preceded in death by his father, William Woodrow Brill.
Born on March 20, 1965 in Manhattan, Tony was always proud to announce that he was “born and raised in Greenwich Village, USA”. He spent every summer of his life, up until the day he died, on Cape Cod in North Truro, Massachusetts.
Tony obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987 from Bradford College as well as an unofficial degree in the Grateful Dead. Tony faithfully followed the band to more than 200 concerts, selling tabouli-filled pita pockets out of his trailer-hitched food truck.
After graduating from college, Tony followed his passion for cooking and enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America. When he became a bona fide chef, he moved to Seattle, Washington where he opened and successfully operated, his own Italian restaurant named “Tony’s”. More than a decade later Tony hung up his chef’s hat and apron and returned to New York City to take over his family’s real estate business when his father fell ill.
A loving, caring husband, proud, doting father, and attentive son, Tony loved with every fiber of his being and lived life to its fullest. Tony saw what he wanted and made it happen. He had a passion for story-telling and music, was a golf addict and a prolific gardener. He loved to swim, and play tennis and backgammon. Tony’s effervescent personality was an inspiration to all and if you ever visited Tony at home, you saw him in his underwear at least once.
Tony carved his own path in this world, unapologetically himself. People were drawn to Tony with his distinctive voice, infectious laugh, quick wit and charm. He was authentic, one-of-a-kind, and had a smile that lit up a room. Forever an optimist, even in the last days of his life, Tony woke up every day and declared with conviction, “It’s going to be a great day!”. His kindness, generosity and loving nature will live on forever in our hearts.
A celebration of Tony’s life will be held at a later date, yet to be determined.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to FightColorectalCancer.org in memory of Tony: https://champions-of-hope.funraise.org/fundraiser/tonybrill. Fight Colorectal Cancer, 134 Park Central Square, Suite 210, Springfield, MO 65806.