Tony Signorini

SIGNORINI, Tony 91, of Clearwater, passed away peacefully on June 22, 2012. Born Oct. 4, 1920, in Monongahela, PA, Tony married his high-school sweetheart, Elsie Scott, on June 29, 1942. He served in the Army Air Corp during WWII as a flight engineer on B17, B24 and B29 bombers. At the end of the war, Tony & Elsie came to Clearwater on a two-week vacation and never returned north. Tony and Elsie immediately became integral parts of St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Clearwater. Tony was awarded the inaugural St. Jude the Apostle Award, a diocesan acknowledgement of significant longtime service in the parish. From their arrival in 1945 on, Tony and Elsie were committed to serving the church in any way they could. Both were admired by many as models of faith and love both of God and each other. Tony was famous for being "The Clearwater Monster," a hoax that made national news during the late 40's and 50's and remained unsolved for decades. A set of large three-toed cast iron feet with sneakers bolted to the top were used to make what a famous cryptozoologist termed "giant penguin tracks" along local beaches. He and others declared the tracks "impossible to be a hoax." Tony worked at Auto Electric for 50 years as mechanic, service manager, partner and owner. Tony's hobbies included volunteering at Morton Plant Hospital (pushing the Pink Cart around the floors, always with a smile). His overriding love was always his high-school sweetheart, Elsie. Tony was preceded in death by his wife, Elsie; brother, Dino; and sisters, Olga and Nina. He is survived by brother, Bill Signorini; sister, Marie Rach; sons, Bill (& Linda) Signorini; Scott (& Sarah) Signorini; Jeff (& Roxanne) Signorini; and daughter, Terry (& David) Premru; six grandkids and five great-grandkids. Wake services are Wednesday, June 27, 6-8 pm at St. Cecelia Church. Funeral Mass on Thursday, June 28 at 11 am. Tony will be missed greatly; men like him are few indeed.