Antonio T. Tortora

TORTORA - Antonio T., 76, born Febuary 8 1932 and died August 21, 2008. Tony, as all his friends and family knew him, was a first generation Italian American born and raised in Astoria, New York by Antonia and Carmine. He was the first in his generation to graduate from college, with a degree in professional engineering. A Long Islander for most of his life, Tony worked at Grumman Aircraft for 15 years working on the air conditioning and heating specs for numerous aircrafts as well as the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Lunar Module that explored outer space. He left Grumman in 1972 to run his own business as an air conditioning and heating contractor in Suffolk County, called Thermal Comfort Inc. Closing the business after about 30 years he joined his former Grumman friend Carl as a consultant in air conditioning and heating contracts in NYC. But to his family and friends he was best known for his love, support, friendship, and mentorship. His wife, Lucille, and two daughters, Michele and Suzi, hope everyone got some of the joy that they had in getting encouragement to pursue their careers of photo- graphy, medicine, and dance therapy. Part of Tony will always be with us even though we can't hear his voice anymore.