Anthony Italo Provitola

It is with deep sadness that the family of Anthony Italo Provitola announces his passing Nov. 10, 2025, at Orlando Regional Medical Center. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at St. Peter Catholic Church in DeLand. Following the Mass, there will be a private family burial at Oakdale Cemetery, immediately followed by a reception in St. Theresa Hall at St. Peter Catholic Church.
Anthony was born Aug. 27, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Anthony Provitola and Anna Siedlecki.
He graduated from Northport High School, Long Island, New York, in 1956. After graduation, he entered St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York. After his freshman year, Anthony enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and attended the Army Language School as a student of the Korean language.
While studying at the language school, Anthony had the opportunity to take entrance exams to the three military academies for each branch of the service, and passed all of them. After several months of duty in Korea, he was transferred back to the United States. Upon learning that if he were to accept his scholarship he would have to repeat his freshman year of college, he did not accept and was honorably discharged a few months later.
Anthony returned to St. Bonaventure for another year and then transferred to the University of Florida, where he met his future wife, Kathleen Mattingly, and subsequently earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physics in January 1962.
After graduation, Anthony entered graduate school at the University of Virginia, with the goal of earning his doctorate in Theoretical Nuclear Physics. After his first semester of graduate school, Anthony married Kathleen at the recently constructed St. Peter Catholic Church in DeLand. After their marriage, they returned to Charlottesville, Virginia.
In January 1963, Anthony left the program and became an employee of the Naval Ordnance Laboratory in Tacoma Park, Maryland. He subsequently entered Stetson Law School in St. Petersburg in September 1963. He graduated from Stetson Law School in January 1966, and was employed in his father-in-law's law practice in DeLand.
In 1968, Anthony became a sole practitioner and practiced law in DeLand, with a focus on General Practice, Workmen's Compensation, Trial Practice and Personal Injury. In the late 1990s, Anthony refocused his practice to Patent Law.
Anthony was also involved in his community and helped re-establish a program for high-school students in Catholic education at St. Peter Catholic Church. When the parish adopted the church council form of governance, he was elected president.
Anthony also participated in a campaign to alter Volusia County's then-current county-commissioner form of government to a county-council form of government.
Anthony was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his sister, Gloria Provitola of New York City; his 10 children, Coleen McCray (Gordon) of Clemmons, North Carolina, Julie Provitola of Lakeland, Mark Provitola (Veronica) of Melissa, Texas, Theresa Provitola of Vancouver, Washington, Damion Provitola (Laura) of Port Orchard, Washington, Laurel McAtee (Robert) of Charlotte, North Carolina, Blaise Provitola (Julie) of Mandeville, Louisiana, Mary Provitola of Jupiter, Delia Provitola-Giuranna (Marco) of Florence, Italy, and Kathleen Scott (Brian) of Greenville, South Carolina; and his 10 grandchildren, Andrew, Ashley, Maxim, Madeline, Blaise Jr., Rocco, Magnus, James, Samuele and Miriam.
Memorial donations may be made to the St. Peter Catholic School Scholarship Fund. Lankford is in charge.