Anthony Charles "Tony" Rollis

Our Beloved Tony passed away on January 4, 2023 just shy of his 94th birthday. He left peacefully and surrounded by loved ones. Tony, also known as "Sonny" to many in his family, was proceeded in death by his parents, Mary and John; brothers John and Charles; sisters Theresa and Audrey; and son Anthony (Tony Jr.). He is survived by wife Dolores; daughter Patricia (Tricia) Hensley; son David; brothers John and Thomas; sister Joan (Wilson); grandson Daniel; great-grandchildren Trenton and Weston; and numerous nephews and nieces.
Tony was a longtime resident of San Jose, Calif. Born in Tuscarora, Penn., his first jobs were working in the coal industry starting at the age of 11. His family relocated to Elizabeth, New Jersey, when he was a teenager, and he graduated from Edison High School. Tony enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946, obtaining the rank of Staff Sergeant by the time he was 19 years old. He served for eight years, then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp (which became the U.S. Air Force) and served for 20 more years reaching the rank of Master Sergeant at Travis Air Force Base in Calif., before retiring. Tony was highly intelligent and needed to keep his sharp mind active, so after his military service, Tony became a part-time Electronics teacher at West Valley Jr. College in Saratoga, Calif. He also became a technical writer for Hewlett-Packard, and ran his own businesses - a TV repair business, ACR Electronics, out of his garage workshop, plus ACR Enterprises: Training and Publications Consulting Services.
Tony served his country with immense pride and distinction. He was one of the most patriotic persons you'd ever meet. After retiring from the military, Tony served as longtime President of the Air Force Sergeants Association and he was also actively involved in increasing awareness of POW-MIA (Prisoner of War/Missing in Action) issues, even producing an informational video on the history and importance of POW-MIA organizations to ensure that those military personnel who are POW-MIA will not be forgotten. He was also active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion, among other organizations.
Tony was a lifelong, gifted storyteller, who always loved sharing his latest travels, experiences, and interests. He was a natural sharer, and always had a good story to tell. Tony was an amazing and creative writer, precise and colorful. At the time of his death, Tony was writing his autobiography, a detailed account of his life that he was solely creating to share with other family members and to pass down to the future generations of his family. He had an incredible recall of events and details going back to his childhood. In his book, Tony recounts meeting Dolores, the love of his long life: "On Columbus Day, 12 October 1949, my friends and I were having a couple of drinks at the Lithuanian Liberty Hall on Second Street. The bar and a bowling alley are downstairs. It must have been girls' bowling night because the bowling alleys were filled with young ladies. From the bar, one could easily watch the bowlers. I had my eye on one of them. She told me that we met because she fell and I helped pick her up. I don't remember it that way. I remembered that I wanted to meet her and so I did. She is a pretty blonde who lives in the Bayway section of Elizabeth, and she is of Polish descent."
Later in the book, he adds, "My girlfriend, Dee, and I would take some long car drives. We thought it was nothing but fun to take almost an hour and a half to drive to Pennsylvania just to get a couple of hamburgers. We hit it off pretty good." And boy did they. They were married in 1950 and had three children: Anthony (Tony Jr.), Tricia, and David. They had a glowing and loving marriage for 72 years.
Tony was a big believer in the importance of family and he took great joy in family get-togethers, picnics, barbecues, and holiday gatherings, where everyone could simply sit around a big table and eat and discuss every topic. Tony was an avid baseball fan for many years who thoroughly enjoyed the Oakland Athletics, whether on the radio or TV. He also liked photography and taking pictures at family events.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the National League of POW/MIA Families at https://www.pow-miafamilies.org.