Anthony “Tony” John Della Morte, 60, of Menlo Park, CA, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2023, at home after a long, courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Palo Alto, CA, to Antonio and Maria (Zepponi) Della Morte
on September 21,1962. He grew up in Menlo Park with his sister, cousins, and neighborhood friends. He attended Oak Knoll Elementary School, Hillview Middle School, and Menlo Atherton High School, where he excelled at sports and developed lifelong friendships and was known for his quick wit and sense of humor.
After graduating from the San Diego State University, Tony tried his hand in various jobs before settling into a long career in the stone fabrication industry at TDM Tiling in San Carlos. After retiring from TDM, Tony enjoyed several years in property management and development until he became ill.
Tony was always a farmer at heart and like most Italians, took pride in his vegetable gardens and sharing the bounty with his friends and neighbors. He also enjoyed spending time at his ranch in Cottonwood, CA , which reminded him of his parents’ hometown of San Savino in the Marche region of Italy. In Cottonwood, he loved working outdoors, improving his ranch buildings, but most of all, basking
in the peace and quiet of “country” life. Tony loved to cook and took pride in preparing many gourmet meals for his friends and family. An avid blues fan, Tony was also always willing to entertain friends with his harmonica and drum playing. When he wasn’t feeding or entertaining you, Tony would always invite you to watch his favorite old black and white TV Westerns, which he absolutely loved, in front of a roaring fire.
Tony was a devoted father to his only son and always looked forward to spending time with him. During their years together, Tony did his best to instill in him a sense of strong values, good character, positive outlook, and of course, a sense of humor.
He is survived by his son Stas Della Morte, his parents Antonio and Maria Della Morte, his sister Loretta (Marc) Fontana, who was selflessly and unconditionally by his side throughout his final journey, his niece Cristina Fontana, his nephew Matteo Fontana, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins (both in the US and Italy) and many dear friends. Tony also leaves behind his beloved pets, Hennessy and Toto.
Family and friends are welcome to attend a Funeral Mass at St. Raymond Catholic Church, 1100 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, CA on February 11, 2023 at 11:00 am followed by a celebration of Tony’s life. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Tony’s name to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.