John Antonio "Tony" Salinero

John Antonio "Tony" Salinero, 69, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, died suddenly of a heart attack May 30 at his home in Tallahassee.
Tony was born in West Palm Beach on Oct. 25, 1954. He was preceded in death by his parents, Orlando and Sevia Salinero of Tampa.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Janice Bailey Salinero of Tallahassee; one daughter, Bailey Salinero (Kevin Ginty) of St. Louis, MO, and granddaughter Layla Ginty; three brothers, Mike Salinero (Nancy Salinero) of Tampa, David Salinero (Michael Salinero-Wigh) of Tampa, and Steven Salinero (Sherry Salinero) of San Antonio, Texas; and one sister, Sallie Sue Salinero, of Tampa.
Tony grew up in Tampa and developed an early interest in music. He became an accomplished piano player and organized a rock band, "Caracas," which played in night clubs around the Tampa Bay Area.
He graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1972 and then attended the University of South Florida where he earned a bachelor's degree in music. After this, he continued his education at Florida State University, earning a master's in music composition while developing a love for Tallahassee.
After college, Tony and his close friend, Tony Demma, opened a popular pub in Tallahassee that featured musical acts on the weekends. The Peanut Barrel Pub had a successful run from 1984 through 1987.
Shortly before his daughter was born, Tony accepted an insurance adjuster position with a claims adjusting company, launching a successful 35-year career as an adjuster, branch manager, quality control supervisor, and instructor. In 2021, he retired from Crawford & Co., but continued to work for them on a contractual basis.
In retirement, Tony focused on giving back to his community. He played piano at The Villas Assisted Living Homes biweekly and volunteered regularly at Second Harvest food bank. He was passionate about getting young people out to vote and worked the polls every election season. In his "down time" he loved to cook, play the piano, write songs, and work on a memoir about his life.
Tony made friends easily and could talk on any subject. At work he was a leader, someone others looked to and admired. A colleague remarked, "Tony was an expert in his field. He was humble, gracious and considerate with his time. Off the clock, he was one of the most fun men you could have a beer with and talk about anything from music to politics to sports. He left a lasting impression on me and countless others with his friendship."
Above all, Tony was a family man. As a husband and father, he was steadfast, loyal and loving. His granddaughter, Layla James Ginty, was born 3 years ago and was the light of his life. You could often find Layla and "Dita" sitting side by side at the piano or playing at the park.
The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to the following organizations on Tony's behalf:
The Florida State College of Music: https://give.fsu.edu/FriendsOfMusic, Second Harvest of the Big Bend: https://fightinghunger.org/donate-today/
Dayne Parker of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the
Salinero family with their arrangements.