Anthony L. “Tony” Vandermark
Last Updated on September 10, 2024 by Cass County Communication Network
Anthony L. “Tony” Vandermark, 85, Kokomo, went home to see his Lord and Savior, Jesus, face-to-face early Sunday morning, September 8, 2024, at home, surrounded by the love of his family. He won his battle with cancer with complete healing as he entered into Heaven!
Born July 23, 1939, in Warsaw, Indiana, he was the son of the late Orie and Maxine (Pittman) Vandermark. He grew up in Walton where, as a teenager, he worked in his mother’s restaurant. A 1957 graduate of Walton High School, Tony excelled at baseball and basketball. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving until 1963.
On January 16, 1959, in the Walton Christian Church, he was married to the love of his life, Shirley (Brown) Vandermark, who survives. The couple moved 11 times over the years due to his work but have made Kokomo their home the past nineteen years. Wherever he went, Tony made friends easily from North Manchester to Rensselaer to Logansport to Rochester, then Kokomo – he never met a stranger.
In 1993, he retired from NIPSCO after a long, esteemed career. For many years, he ran the Royal Center underground natural gas storage facility from his computer at the office headquarters.
A faithful servant of God, Tony always had a song of praise in his heart but couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. In Kokomo, he attended the Calvary Baptist Church. In Logansport, he was active in the Methodist church at 8th & Broadway.
Tony was the ultimate “Mr. Fix-it” and loved helping people. He could fix anything and if he didn’t have the right tool, he’d build it. He was also an accomplished woodworker, making and building so many things for others over the years.
Tony was passionate about the elusive morel mushroom. He would travel near and far for this delicacy – once returning home from a trip with friends with over 600 pounds of mushrooms from Wisconsin. Tony liked to sweat when he ate – the hotter, the better. He enjoyed many wonderful adventures over the years on family vacations. God, family, country – he was a man with his priorities in the right order. Family meant everything to him, and he never missed going to his daughters and grandchildren’s plays, concerts and sporting events.
Surviving with his wife of 65 years, Shirley, are two daughters, Jane Williams, of Logansport, and Anne (Jason) Liddick, of Marion; one sister, Sally (Bob) Sesko, of Kokomo; four grandchildren, Matt (Caycie) Williams, Molly (Jake) Finnegan, Jackson Liddick (Kristen Shaver) and Ali Williams (Riley King); and three great-grandchildren, Harper, Norah and Lennon Williams.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one grandchild, Easton Finnegan.
Visitation hours will be held from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10 in Fisher Funeral Chapel, 1701 Chase Road, Logansport.
A Funeral Service celebrating Tony’s life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 in the funeral chapel.
Burial, with full military honors, will be in McNeely Memorial Cemetery, near Lewisburg.
For those wanting to make a memorial contribution in Tony’s memory, the family suggests that donations be made to the Robert Ray Brown American Legion Post 418, which is named after Shirley’s cousin.
You may share memories, photos, and offer condolences on Tony’s Tribute Wall at www.fisherfuneralchapel.com.