Tony was an amazing guy in many ways. He accomplishied so much and helped so many people in many ways, both professionally and personally. He had great mind and a huge heart. I am so sorry that I won't get to see him one more time. Sandi Schechter
Tony was one of the most colorful classmates. Everyone new Tony. HIs personality and freindly swagger were infecttious. Some may recall that Tony and Bill Dietch were the Illiinois State Champion Debate Team. Many of us watched them Saturday mornings as they debated their way to the championship. Tony went on to Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. Bill on to Yale where he was George Bush's classmate and on the debate team with John Carey. Tony's dad was ALL CHICAGO.A very interesting family. Tony always had an opinion. I was certainly saddenned to hear he had passed. One of the most colorful, inferesting, bright and entriguing classmates. Being on the West Coast for the past 40 years makes me wish I had more regular contact with Tony as well as some others.
I first met Tony when we were in 7th grade at Westwood Junior High. That was the last year when everyone went to Westwood before they opened Blackhawk Junior High the next year.
I remember Tony and I helping our dads launch a hot air balloon at the Plaza when Vice President Nixon spoke during the 1960 presidential campaign. Just as Mr, Nixon began to speak from the roof over the front door of Goldblatts, the balloon rose from the back of the Jewel store. The top sign said "Rich Township Democrats Welcome the Vice Presdient" and under it was a large "Kennedy For President"poster. Tony's dad was our State Representative at the time, and I remember attending a number of Scariano political dinners that featured major speakers including Senator Paul Douglas.
After college Tony, Bill Dietch, Pete Connor and I all got teaching jobs in Harvey in the fall of 1968. We were hired by an anti-war asssistant superintendent who wanted to keep as many guys out of the draft as he could. Tony went on to teach at Rich East where he taught history for several years. One of his students was my first wife, Lyndie Pollack, class of 71. After he turned 26, Tony went to law school and then joined his father's law firm which had always been his goal.
In the early 80's Tony was the attorney for District 227 when I was elected to the Board of Education. It was really an interesting experience to attend meetings in the library and the main office of Rich East. One night we were negotiating with the teachers' union, and Tony remarked that we had really come a long way from ditching study hall to take an extra lunch period downstairs in the cafeteria, to upstairs helping to run the school district.
Tony's reputation as a school attorney continued to grow as did the law firm. I would often cross paths with him or his law partners as I worked as a school administrator. In 1994 when Lyndie died unexpectedly at the age of 41, Tony handled the law suit that arose because of her death. He not only took care of all of the legal issues, but was tremendously helpful to me and my then teenage children in coping with our loss.
When I retired from the public schools, Tony was very helpful in getting me started in my retirement career as a Hearing Officer for school districts. His reputation as one of the most outstanding school attorneys in Illinois helped me establish contact with many school districts and I often worked with Tony or other attorneys from his firm. Tony continued to be my personal attorney as well as assisting my kids with various legal matters as they became adults and started their own families. We got together frequently during those years and it was always an enjoyable experience to spend time with Tony and lsiten to his views on virtually any subject imaginable.
Tony's memorial service was attended by hundreds of people. There were apeakers from the national organization of school attorneys as well as his law firm, and of course, his family. It was a memorable tribute to him and the impact he had on so many people both in the local area and across the country.
While surfing the web today I happened to stumble on a website for Anthony Scariano SR, Tony's Dad. I was looking for some information on my husbands families background and was amazed to discover that Anthony Scariano had started his life in the same neighborhood that my husbands family had...Little Sicily, in the near north side of Chicago and the parish of Saint Philip Benizi church on Cambridge street.
Its a interesting read, although rather a long one in parts, about his early life there, but ultimately (in tape 8A side 1), on page 89 he starts talking about coming to Park Forest to live and the early days there. Knowing that many of you knew and liked/respected Anthony Jr I thought you might like to know about his father and the early years of life for Tony Jr with him in Park Forest.
If you feel it is inappropriate to post here then either I can remove it or you can.
Here is a short excerpt....
"I was working and going to law school in Washington, I was a returning GI, and I was in my last year of law school when we read about the "Dream City for Veterans" in Colliers magazine. It must have been . . . late 1947 or early 1948, around about in there. My wife and I were intrigued with the article and the idea of Park Forest. It talked about the rolling countryside south of Chicago, and the fact that no child would have to cross any main thoroughfare in order to get to school, that it was going to be planned from scratch, and it mentioned that Phil Klutznick was one of the partners in the venture and that the idea was that of Carol Sweet who thought it up for veterans."
(Page 108) "Anthony Gael (Tony) practices law with me here in this office. He taught for four years before he went into law. He taught one year in School District 147 in West Harvey, Dixmoore, Markham,Blue Island, then spent three years at Rich East High School teaching social studiesand coached debate there. Then went to law school at De Paul, graduated magna cum laudeand has, since 1975, been a full-fledged lawyer with this firm and a partner. Let me see,oh, he clerked for me while he was in law school. So he really has about between eightand nine years - well let's see, I would say he's got about ten to twelve years with thefirm. I can't remember how long he clerked. It was at least three years. It could befour. And he's been with the firm as a full-fledged lawyer since 1975. So he's been withthe firm at least ten years.."
Sandra Schechter
Tony was an amazing guy in many ways. He accomplishied so much and helped so many people in many ways, both professionally and personally. He had great mind and a huge heart. I am so sorry that I won't get to see him one more time. Sandi Schechter
Susan Schaller (Scimeca)
David Frisch
Tony was one of the most colorful classmates. Everyone new Tony. HIs personality and freindly swagger were infecttious. Some may recall that Tony and Bill Dietch were the Illiinois State Champion Debate Team. Many of us watched them Saturday mornings as they debated their way to the championship. Tony went on to Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. Bill on to Yale where he was George Bush's classmate and on the debate team with John Carey. Tony's dad was ALL CHICAGO.A very interesting family. Tony always had an opinion. I was certainly saddenned to hear he had passed. One of the most colorful, inferesting, bright and entriguing classmates. Being on the West Coast for the past 40 years makes me wish I had more regular contact with Tony as well as some others.
Dave Frisch
Jeffrey Litman
I first met Tony when we were in 7th grade at Westwood Junior High. That was the last year when everyone went to Westwood before they opened Blackhawk Junior High the next year.
I remember Tony and I helping our dads launch a hot air balloon at the Plaza when Vice President Nixon spoke during the 1960 presidential campaign. Just as Mr, Nixon began to speak from the roof over the front door of Goldblatts, the balloon rose from the back of the Jewel store. The top sign said "Rich Township Democrats Welcome the Vice Presdient" and under it was a large "Kennedy For President"poster. Tony's dad was our State Representative at the time, and I remember attending a number of Scariano political dinners that featured major speakers including Senator Paul Douglas.
After college Tony, Bill Dietch, Pete Connor and I all got teaching jobs in Harvey in the fall of 1968. We were hired by an anti-war asssistant superintendent who wanted to keep as many guys out of the draft as he could. Tony went on to teach at Rich East where he taught history for several years. One of his students was my first wife, Lyndie Pollack, class of 71. After he turned 26, Tony went to law school and then joined his father's law firm which had always been his goal.
In the early 80's Tony was the attorney for District 227 when I was elected to the Board of Education. It was really an interesting experience to attend meetings in the library and the main office of Rich East. One night we were negotiating with the teachers' union, and Tony remarked that we had really come a long way from ditching study hall to take an extra lunch period downstairs in the cafeteria, to upstairs helping to run the school district.
Tony's reputation as a school attorney continued to grow as did the law firm. I would often cross paths with him or his law partners as I worked as a school administrator. In 1994 when Lyndie died unexpectedly at the age of 41, Tony handled the law suit that arose because of her death. He not only took care of all of the legal issues, but was tremendously helpful to me and my then teenage children in coping with our loss.
When I retired from the public schools, Tony was very helpful in getting me started in my retirement career as a Hearing Officer for school districts. His reputation as one of the most outstanding school attorneys in Illinois helped me establish contact with many school districts and I often worked with Tony or other attorneys from his firm. Tony continued to be my personal attorney as well as assisting my kids with various legal matters as they became adults and started their own families. We got together frequently during those years and it was always an enjoyable experience to spend time with Tony and lsiten to his views on virtually any subject imaginable.
Tony's memorial service was attended by hundreds of people. There were apeakers from the national organization of school attorneys as well as his law firm, and of course, his family. It was a memorable tribute to him and the impact he had on so many people both in the local area and across the country.
Susan Schaller (Scimeca)
While surfing the web today I happened to stumble on a website for Anthony Scariano SR, Tony's Dad. I was looking for some information on my husbands families background and was amazed to discover that Anthony Scariano had started his life in the same neighborhood that my husbands family had...Little Sicily, in the near north side of Chicago and the parish of Saint Philip Benizi church on Cambridge street.
Its a interesting read, although rather a long one in parts, about his early life there, but ultimately (in tape 8A side 1), on page 89 he starts talking about coming to Park Forest to live and the early days there. Knowing that many of you knew and liked/respected Anthony Jr I thought you might like to know about his father and the early years of life for Tony Jr with him in Park Forest.
If you feel it is inappropriate to post here then either I can remove it or you can.
Here is a short excerpt....
"I was working and going to law school in Washington, I was a returning GI, and I was in my last year of law school when we read about the "Dream City for Veterans" in Colliers magazine. It must have been . . . late 1947 or early 1948, around about in there. My wife and I were intrigued with the article and the idea of Park Forest. It talked about the rolling countryside south of Chicago, and the fact that no child would have to cross any main thoroughfare in order to get to school, that it was going to be planned from scratch, and it mentioned that Phil Klutznick was one of the partners in the venture and that the idea was that of Carol Sweet who thought it up for veterans."
(Page 108) "Anthony Gael (Tony) practices law with me here in this office. He taught for four years before he went into law. He taught one year in School District 147 in West Harvey, Dixmoore, Markham,Blue Island, then spent three years at Rich East High School teaching social studiesand coached debate there. Then went to law school at De Paul, graduated magna cum laudeand has, since 1975, been a full-fledged lawyer with this firm and a partner. Let me see,oh, he clerked for me while he was in law school. So he really has about between eightand nine years - well let's see, I would say he's got about ten to twelve years with thefirm. I can't remember how long he clerked. It was at least three years. It could befour. And he's been with the firm as a full-fledged lawyer since 1975. So he's been withthe firm at least ten years.."
The link to the rest of the site is below:
http://www.idaillinois.org/utils/getfile/collection/uis/id/3835/filename/3836.pdf