Obituaries : Dr. S.L. \'Tony\' Anthony

Dr. S.L. 'Tony' Anthony

VINTON: Dr. S.L. “Tony” Anthony, 79 of Vinton died Saturday, February 25, 2012 at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Vinton. Funeral Services will be at 10:30 AM, Saturday, March 3, 2012 at the Presbyterian Church in Vinton with Rev. Fred Darbonne and Rev. Dr. Bill Jamison officiating. Interment will be held at 1:00 PM, Sunday, March 4, 2012 at Hazel Dell Cemetery near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Visitation will be from 4 – 8 PM, Friday, March 2, 2012 at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 East Sixth Street in Vinton and one hour prior to service time on Saturday at the church. Memorials may be directed to the family for a scholarship fund for those entering or furthering their education in the medical field from the Vinton area. Online condolences may be sent to the family at: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.

Tony, a dock is where you park your boat, was born on October 10, 1932 in Omaha, Nebraska. He was premature and spent his first few days with his parents in a box kept by the stove. He continued to live with his parents Mark, and Kathryn in Council Bluffs, Iowa until he graduated from Abraham Lincoln High in 1950. He then attended the University of Iowa where he graduated from the School of Medicine in 1959. While at the U of I he served as president of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He remained a dyed-in-the-wool Hawkeye for the rest of his life. Tony did his internship at Broadlawns Hospital in Des Moines. He then served with the Big Red One in the US Army, from which he was discharged honorably May of 1962.

Tony married Dorothy Jean Osborn on August 26, 1955. They were married for 57 years. After living with him through undergraduate school, medical school, internship, and the army, Dorothy moved with Tony to Vinton, Iowa in 1962. He joined the practice of Drs. Blumgren and Weideman and began medical service to the Vinton area which lasted over 38 years. They had 4 children: S. Lane Anthony, Julie (Brian) Knudsvig, Dr. Jennifer (Jim) Palmer, and Ann (Dr. Grant) Forrester. Tony and Dottie had 7 grandchildren: Charlie and Joe Knudsvig; Ben, Sam and Tom Palmer; and Rachel and Holly Forrester.

Tony served on the Vinton School Board for 18 years. He also served on the Vinton Country Club Board, the Ambulance Board, the Mental Health Board, and the Virginia Gay Hospital Board. He was a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, a Diplomat in Family Practice, and Board Certified in Family Practice and Gerontology. While acting as Clinical Lecturer for the U of I Medical School, he participated in the training of 65 Physician's Assistants. He was a member of, and served as an elder for the Vinton Presbyterian Church.

Tony had many loves in his life, the most important to him being his wife and family. Next, in no particular order would be: the Hawkeyes, beer, books, his lake-home, teaching, rocking and reading to his grandchildren. His friends and family always found it amusing that he felt that rules applied very well to other people, but never to him. He had the honor of being declared an EWI (entry without inspection) at the border when returning from Canada after offering the border guard a beer. Even while living at the Virginia Gay Hospital Annex Tony never lost his sense of humor. There he enjoyed drinking beer and eating radishes, which occasionally caused problems.

Tony never forgot where he came from and how important it is to treat others with dignity. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren as well as his sisters Mary Gillespie of Columbia, MO and Prudy Deck of Sioux City, IA. He is also survived by his uncle Frank Lane of Council Bluffs, IA.