Tony A. Carollo

Tony Andrea Carollo, 56, of Bloomingdale, Illinois, passed away surrounded by his family. Tony was a man who spoke his mind, stood by what he believed, and rarely passed up an opportunity to make a joke—even when it probably wasn’t the right time.

Born to Eleanor and Anthony Carollo, both of whom preceded him in death, Tony grew up understanding the importance of family, loyalty, and hard work. Those values stayed with him throughout his life, even if his way of expressing them wasn’t always gentle. Tony was brutally honest, stubborn to a fault, and known for holding the people closest to him to high standards. He could be tough to argue with, especially when he was right—which was often enough to make the times he was wrong a subject best left alone.

Tony is survived by his wife, Sabrina Carollo, and their two sons, Antonino and Guytano. He was a demanding father who believed in preparing his boys for the real world, even when that meant learning a lesson the hard way. Behind the sarcasm and tough exterior was a father who cared deeply about the men his sons would become. One of the things Tony was most proud of was keeping every vow he made to Sabrina.

Tony is also survived by his sister, Joelle Thome, and many cousins who were more like brothers and sisters than extended family. He shared a particularly close bond with Joseph and Kristina DeSimone and their children, Gaetano, Gianna, and Andrea, whom he cherished as part of his own family. While Tony could give just about anyone a hard time, his nieces and nephews had a special place in his heart and could bring out a softer side of him.

A skilled carpenter and proud member of the carpenters’ union, Tony took pride in working with his hands and doing things right. After a back injury changed the course of his career, he moved into website development during the early days of the internet. He later found another calling in coaching youth baseball, where he brought his high standards, competitive spirit, and dedication to a team of young players who went on to make memories at Cooperstown.

Some of Tony’s favorite times were spent with family and friends, whether traveling to Disney, visiting grandparents at the lake in Kentucky, or gathering for holidays and family get-togethers. As the years went on, he often found himself entertaining the kids while the adults tried to get a conversation in. No gathering was complete without his commentary, and no subject was entirely safe from his opinions.

Tony dealt with more than his share of health struggles, but he never let them take away his sense of humor. He kept joking, kept speaking his mind, and kept being Tony until the end. He leaves behind a family shaped by his lessons, a long list of stories that will be told for years, and more than a few jokes that probably won’t make it into this obituary.

Tony will be remembered as a devoted husband, a tough father, a loyal family member, a dedicated coach, and a man who never needed to pretend to be someone he wasn’t. He was not always easy, never short on opinions, and rarely at a loss for words. Those who knew him wouldn’t have had it any other way.