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Anthony Joseph Cerone - Class of 1957

Submitted by Bill Norvell 1965 <w.norvell@att.net> on 09/Nov/2023
107.145.178.172

Message:

Anthony Joseph Cerone, Sr., son of the late Samuel Cerone and Laura Cerone (nee Santoro), and brother of the late Shirley Riley, died on November 5, 2023.
He leaves behind his brother Sam Cerone; his three sons; his step-children; their families; and all those whose lives he touched.
He passed from us at Chadwick Lake in the Town of Newburgh, a place where he had spent thousands of days of his life fishing, swimming, walking, and cross-country skiing. He was a volunteer at the lake for years during retirement, and he loved the access to nature it gave him and others.
He was a passionate advocate for mental health. Over the course of his life, he helped hundreds of people through his involvement in Recovery International. In recent years, he led virtual self-help groups in recovery and provided 1-1 support to those in their most dire time of need.
He was a prolific visual artist. Since retiring from his career as a graphic designer at IBM, he produced over 100 acrylic paintings in wildlife, landscape, seaside, and homespun themes. He also loved to create paintings and sculptures for friends and family. He hand-built rocking horses for all of his grandchildren.
He was a proud veteran of the US Marine Corps, serving in various posts across the globe. He carried the discipline and pride of his time in the Marines for his entire life.
He loved to laugh, and to make others laugh, even if at times his sense of humor was slightly out of step with those he was trying to amuse. (He took "sh*t my dad says" to a whole new level.) He very much followed the beat of his own particular drummer, and the world was a better place for it.
Among the many qualities that made up his persona, the most indelible was his universal kindness, most especially toward others - toward the outcast, toward the unwanted and the downtrodden. He was profoundly empathetic. He was always willing to give the benefit of the doubt. He always tried to put himself in other peoples' shoes to understand their behavior and troubles. And he was always ready to lend a helping hand or ear.
He will be missed by many.
A memorial Mass will be held at 10am on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at St. Francis of Assisi Church (145 Benkard Ave, Newburgh, NY 12550). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Recovery International (https://www.recoveryinternational.org/).