ANTHONY COLOMBO Sr.

COLOMBO--Anthony

Edward, Sr. Passed away quietly in his sleep on January 6, 2017, in his home in San Diego, CA, where he had resided with his loving wife of 49 years, Carol Colombo. Formerly of New York, Anthony was the eldest son of the late Joseph A. Colombo, Sr., and Lucille (Faiello) Colombo. Born on February 25, 1945, in Brooklyn, NY, he was 71 years old. Anthony was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather who was most happy when surrounded by his family. A traditionalist and great cook, he always made sure everyone was together for Sunday dinner. He will be remembered by all for his sincerity and stoicism. He stood a stalwart oak in the face of adversity. Anthony was a graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy. He worked tirelessly as a civil rights activist alongside his father who founded the Ita- lian-American Civil Rights League in 1970. The League was formed to combat discrimination against Italian- Americas. Through organized protests, the League quickly formed into a massive grass-roots movement mobilizing the Italian-Amer-ican community in New York, and around the country, into one unified voice. Together Anthony and his father successfully obtained a Presidential Directive issued to the United States Justice Department to refrain from using the terms "Mafia" and "Cosa Nostra." They were instrumental in ensuring those same terms were deleted from the critically acclaimed film the "The Godfather." Through their efforts, just some of the League's many accomplishments also included the first Italian-American Studies Program added to the school curriculum by the New York City Board of Education. Ever a loyal son, in honor of his father, in December of 2015, Anthony authored, "Colombo: The Unsolved Murder." The book chronicled Anthony's life beside his father, and the conspiracy theories surrounding his father's death. On June 28, 1971, Anthony's father had been tragically shot several times at a civil rights rally in front of a crowd of thousands gathered at Columbus Circle in New York. Anthony most recently lectured for the Italian-American Studies Association about his experience as a civil rights activist, organizing protests, and combating discrimination. Anthony is survived by his wife Carol Colombo, their four children, and four grandchildren.