Anthony "Tony" Martingilio

Our beloved patriarch Anthony “Tony” Martingilio, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. He was surrounded by his loving family. Tony was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 6, 1939. He was the only child of Joseph and Susan Martingilio.

As a young man he attended the Art Institute of Chicago and developed and crafted an artistic sense that would serve him well for the entirety of his life. In addition to a career as a commercial artist he loved painting people, dogs, bustling street scenes, wildflowers, city life and places he yearned to travel. He had a great love for music, particularly American jazz. This passion led him to master the tenor saxophone which landed him a spot in the Army band.

The next chapter in his life would be the marriage to his first wife Beverly. He and Beverly would have three children whom he loved dearly, Michelle, Joseph and Valerie. After the passing of his first wife Beverly, he found Karen, who would remain the light of his life for over 40 years up until his passing. His second marriage also brought him the gift of two more sons David and Michael who he proudly raised as his own.

Tony and Karen would begin their new life together in 1984, moving the family to Phoenix Arizona to open their hair business Anthony Martingilio Inc. They continued to service the community for over 35 years. He and Karen remained almost inseparable throughout their 40 years together enjoying cooking, learning Italian, bonsai maintenance, travel and working on their beautiful home and garden. In 2005 Tony and Karen, along with their son Michael and dear friends and adopted family Michelle and Guido Sacconne, opened the family restaurant Cibo Pizzeria in Downtown Phoenix. Nobody loved a good meatball and glass of chianti like Tony. The restaurant still thrives, and his spirit can be felt with his dozens of original paintings that line the walls throughout the restaurant. When asked for a brief remembrance of Tony, Karen without hesitation responded as such, “He was a loving husband, great dad, good friend, talented artist, honest, creative, fun loving, inquisitive, never met a self-help book he didn’t read. He was the Everyone Loves Raymond (Tony) of our family. A life spent beautifying the world”. When it came to humor it is also worth noting that he had the most impeccable sense of timing. There is no doubt he will be missed but never forgotten.

Tony is survived by his wife Karen, daughters Michelle and Valerie and sons Joseph, David and Michael along with a plethora of grandchildren. 

In Lieu of flowers the family asks for a donation to be made to Tony’s favorite charity organization National Kidney Foundation of Arizona.