Anthony (Tony) Francis Sindelar, Age 99, of Ballwin, MO passed away peacefully on March 11, 2024 with his family by his side.
Anthony was preceded in death by his beloved wife Lucille Sindelar, and his children Gregory Sindelar, Jeffrey Sindelar and Julie Phillips. He is survived by his children Cindy (Brian) Gallagher, John (Pat Holmes) Sindelar, (daughter-in-law Deborah Sindelar), Donna (David Weinberg) Thompson and Andrea Kosinski.
Anthony is also survived by his grandchildren Rebecca, Daniel, Benjamin, Katelin, Abigail, Emma, Jesse, Heather, Elana, Lauren, Gregory, Thomas, Michael and Melissa and great grandchildren Annika, Margaret, Brielle, Grant, Abe, Avery, Michayla, Jesse and Harrison, as well a many nieces and nephews.
Anthony was born on March 5, 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri to the late Francis and Lucy Sindelar. He was the youngest of six boys - Phillip, Vince, Gilbert, Francis (Frank) and Edward - all who have preceded him in death.
Anthony grew up in South St. Louis during the depression and while the family didn’t have much, they had what they needed. His family was part of the Catholic Parish of St. Wenceslaus in St. Louis. The Catholic Church, his faith and service to the church were an ever-constant way of life and support during his long life. Anthony’s Father was a plumber and until his dying day, Anthony hated calling in a plumber to fix anything. He felt he could do it himself and for most of his 99 years he did just that.
He also helped his Mom by regularly doing the food shopping - his favorite was the bakery. This grocery shopping experience helped prepare him for his later family life when it was either going to the grocery store for the family or staying home and taking care of seven kids! These trips to the bakery for his Mom when he was young, began Tony’s love-affair with bakery goods that lasted throughout his long sweet life!
Hunting, fishing and escaping to the Windsor Rod and Gun Club made a big difference in his family's life. Tony’s Grandfather was a founding member and some of the family are still active members to this day. Tony realized later in life how very fortunate they were to have a place to get out in nature and hunt and fish during the depression. Hunting and fishing also provided wild game, an excellent food source during a time when food was limited. His Dad became known as the Turtle Man since he was the only one that fished for Turtles. Tony admired how people turned to his father for guidance on turtles as well as foraging for wild mushrooms. Also, as Tony tells it, his Mom made an absolutely delicious turtle soup!
Anthony enlisted in the Marines in his junior year of high school in 1942 at age 17 - serving 3 years before turning 21. The Marines and his time served made a very big impression on him. He was happily sent to Radio-Gunners school in El Centro, California - he mentioned he was glad he got to fly in airplanes rather than fixing airplanes. Anthony earned his high school GED in the Marines after completing the training classes. Anthony was stationed on the French island of Efate in the New Hebrides Islands in the South Pacific - now known as the Republic of Vanuatu. Fortunately, Anthony skirted perilous duty when some of his fellow gunners were shipped out since he had not yet received the required training. He also mentioned that in Guam he was part of the occupying force rather than the more hazardous capturing force of Guam. These two close encounters remind us of how close his legacy and the 30 lives of his descendents might never have happened. Anthony was honorably discharged in 1945. During WWII and after, Anthony especially honored his parents who had 5 stars in the window of their home - each star representing one of their five sons who were serving simultaneously in WWII in the Marines, Army, Coast Guard, or Navy Seabees. Very fortunately all five came home alive - allowing for the remarkable legacies of all the Sindelar brothers and their many, many descendents. Anthony was interviewed by a local television station on Veterans Day last year and this sacrifice by his parents was what he wanted to mention most to the reporter - to honor his parents and emphasize how much they sacrificed for the war effort.
In 1946, Anthony met Lucille. However, after dating for 6 months, they broke up since Tony was Catholic and Lucille belonged to the Evangelical Church. Lucille’s father did not approve of the relationship. One day months later, Lucille drove down Tony’s street to show a friend where her old boyfriend lived....and lo and behold they came upon him walking to the bakery. Lou and Tony reunited and their warm and wonderful history began. They married in 1948 and shared over 72 loving years of marriage. Tony said that while his relationship with his father-in-law got off to a very rocky start due to the differences in religion, over the years they became “very good buddies”.
Tony and Lucille, or Lou as he called her, had many joyful years with family and friends, as well as the deepest of grief in losing three of their seven children -- Greg in 1968, Julie in 2015 and Jeff in 2017. Their ability to move forward and carry on after each of these painful tragedies is testament to the amazing love, fortitude and deep faith that they both had. The Catholic Church, and faith overall, were a very fulfilling and significant part of both of their lives. Anthony’s faith kept him strong. He made sure there was a Catholic Church in the community before he and Lucille moved out to the Manchester suburbs. They were members of St. Joseph and then founding members at Christ Prince of Peace parish where they were very active for decades. Anthony ushered at church for over 40 years.
Tony and Lucille also provided a secure and welcoming environment for Tony’s Mom when her husband died - his Mom, Lucy Sindelar, lived with them for over 18 years. While there wasn’t much money to spare with seven kids, Tony worked on outside chores and fix-it needs on the weekends for the neighbors, the McNulty’s, and Beverly McNulty kindly provided piano lessons to some of the kids in exchange for this help.
Tony also built a sturdy and high flying swing set for the backyard. And as time went on an impressive tree house. While Tony grew up in the city, he was a country boy at heart. His weekends at the Rod and Gun Club helped him adapt well to Lucille’s family out in the country, in Augusta. This carried to our family as we spent many weekends out in Augusta fishing, working and enjoying all the country had to offer.
Anthony’s radio training in the Marines helped him kickoff a long and fulfilling career with Southwestern Bell / AT&T as a PBX Installer. He was very proud of his work installing phones and connecting people and businesses. We sure all know how important our phones are! In 1984 when AT&T agreed to divest its local telephone operations, Anthony took an early retirement. He was always grateful and dedicated to AT&T for his pension and the excellent health insurance the company provided to retirees.
With retirement, Tony had more time for fishing, a little golf, hob-knobbing with his friends and family but mostly tackling chores. Tony was never afraid to tackle any chore - no matter how big it was. Through-out his life, he could fix or build almost anything. It may take him a while, since he had to get it just right, but he always figured it out with amazing results. As years went by and his children had their own homes, he continued to help his kids fix and build things in their own houses.
In the early days after moving out to Manchester with Lou, he added a bedroom and a garage to the house as their family expanded. When he retired he added a beautiful room to the rear of the house that let the sun in and provided a wonderful place to rest and appreciate the fruits of his labors. He was always fixing something somewhere for someone! Even in his final days, his mind was preoccupied with home repairs and maintenance.
A major retail development along Highway 141 in Manchester that took the 6 McNulty house and much of the surrounding area was a big adjustment for Dad and Mom. While the development company was fair about the acquisition, it was a hard move after so many years of joy, raising a family, hard work and great neighbors on McNulty Avenue.
Tony always read the St. Louis Post cover to cover. He kept up with national and world news until his dying day and loved to talk about the news and politics. He had an incredible memory and thoroughly enjoyed discussing national and world issues with those that agreed with him as well as those that didn’t.
Dad to seven kids, Grandpa to fourteen, and Great-grandpa to nine, as well as uncle to many nieces and nephews. Tony was the last of his generation in both his and Lou’s family - often called the greatest generation.
Tony was a big fan of PBS. The last few years of Tony’s life he grew very fond of the PBS program All Creatures Great and Small set in England in the 1930s and 1940s. It’s a charming program that his kids watch and love too. One of the reasons Tony liked the program so much is that one of the main female characters Helen looks like and reminds him of Lucille when they were young. Helen is a very pretty farm girl - full of spunk, kindness and optimism, just like Lucille. When Lucille passed, a bit of Anthony did also and now we’re sure he is grateful to be at her side again reminiscing about all things great and small in their long life together.
Services: Funeral from the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to Christ, Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 415 Weidman Road, Manchester for 10:00 a.m. Mass. Interment St. Joseph Cemetery, 107 Creve Coeur Ave., Manchester. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to your local PBS station. Visitation Monday, March 18, 2024 from 4-8 p.m. Friends may share memories sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.
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