Antonio J. Vieira, Sr.

Northfield, CT After a long battle with prostate cancer, Antonio J. “Tony” Vieira, Sr., 74, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 17, 2025 at his home with his loving daughter by his side. Up until his passing, he was a jokester and always had a joke up his sleeve.

Tony was married to his late wife Eileen for 40 years. He was a loving husband and has found peace with his beautiful bride Eileen and his late son, Baby Tony.

Tony was born in Waterbury, CT on September 4, 1950 and was raised in Naugatuck, where he and Eileen had two children. Tony built their dream house in Northfield, CT 35 years ago. It was their dream to help raise their grandchildren there, a dream they fulfilled.

Tony had a love of motorsports, having co-owned a race car with his brother John. In the early 70’s, they raced their #30 car locally at Riverside, Stafford Springs and Thompson Motor Speedways and their #89 car at Plainville Raceway, where they had a first place win. His love of motorsports continued way past his time as a co-owner, having travelled with his family to Dover, Daytona, New Hampshire and Las Vegas. He was forever a Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fan. Tony’s dream was to own his own hot rod and with the help of his nephews and his son in law, they were able to make this dream a reality. He loved to take his hot rod to car shows, having won many trophies for best in show. In a small circle, he will forever be known as the beep-beep man.

Always a hard worker, Tony worked as a groundskeeper at Heritage Village; a truck driver at Leila Dress Company; a laborer and foreman at L.G. DeFelice Construction and he retired from FKCI Construction, where he worked as a laborer and foreman.

Tony is survived by his daughter, Wendy Fox and his son in law, Richard J. Fox, Jr., his grandson, Zachary Fox; his granddaughter, Sarah Fox; his sister, Brigida Pregano; his brother, John M. Vieira, Sr. and many nieces and nephews. Tony was predeceased by his wife, Eileen F. (Capozzi) Vieira, his son, Antonio J. “Baby Tony” Vieira, Jr., his parents, Joao M. Vieira and Belmira Oliveira Vieira, his sister, Maria Branco and his brother, Henrique “Ricky” Vieira.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, August 22, 2025 at 10:00am at the Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Avenue, Naugatuck. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery, Naugatuck. Calling hours are Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers and to honor Tony’s memory, donations are requested to the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, 1075 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT 06708.