Anthony Garland Minks

Anthony (Tony) Garland Minks passed away in his home on Thursday, February 10, 2022. He was born in Wenatchee, Washington August 25, 1958 to John and Marjorie Minks. Tony is survived by his former wife, Carla, his two sons, Andrew and Nick, and his daughter, Kate. He is further survived by his mother Marjorie and his two brothers, John and Tim. He is preceded in death by his father, John and sister, Virginia.

Tony grew up in Wenatchee and later moved to Cashmere where he helped his mother buy a house on the river. His mother worked as a licensed practical nurse. He worked in a fruit packing warehouse where he made lots of friends with the gals that worked there, and they taught him how to crochet hats. He also learned how to sew, bake cakes, and play the piano. Tony liked to play tennis, float down the river, hike in the cascades and snow ski. He loved to tell jokes and play pranks on his friends. One of his favorite pranks was pouring cold water on his friends when they were taking a shower.

He moved to Redding in 1978, where he met his future wife, Carla. They were married in March of 1980. They lived in Cashmere where Tony owned a business skirting trailers. Eventually he decided to go back to school to become a registered nurse.

Tony graduated with a nursing degree from Wenatchee Valley College, a bachelor's degree in nursing from excelsior College, New York, and a master's degree in nursing from Seattle Pacific University. Tony worked as a nurse and hospital administrator in Washington State for 15 years. Tony spent the last 15 years of his career working for Kaiser Permanente as Chief Operations Officer in San Diego. He retired from Kaiser and moved to Sacramento to be near his children, where he lived out the remainder of his life.

Tony was a speaker on many occasions. He was good with audiences, and he always made people laugh. He always encouraged people to be their best and get an education. He cared a lot about others, which lead to a 30-year career in the medical field and volunteer work after retirement. He would often say that one of his greatest achievements in life was helping to raise his children, Andrew, Nick, and Kate. His good character, sense of humor, and stories will be missed.