Obituary of Anthony Belli

Anthony J. "Tony" Belli "Loving husband, father and grandfather" Allegany, NY--Anthony J. "Tony" Belli of 49 N. 4th St. died Thursday (April 15, 2010) in the Olean General Hospital after a brief illness. Born June 26, 1932 in Allegany, NY he was the son of Luigi and Caroline Iacucci Belli. On June 27, 1959 at St. John's Church in Olean he married Emeline Hitchcock who survives. Mr. Belli was raised in Olean and had resided in Allegany most of his life. He was a veteran of the Korean War having served from 1951 to 1955 with the US Navy aboard the USS Missouri. He retired from a career with the former Conap, Inc., now Cytec Industries, Inc. of Olean. He was a member of St. Bonaventure Church where he served as a Eucharistic minister and lector. In 1995 he and his wife were welcomed into the Secular Franciscan Order of St. Bonaventure Church. He was also a member of the Allegany American Legion Charles Harbel Post 892 and the Olean VFW Post #1619. He was a former member of the Allegany Fire Department and was an avid fisherman and golfer. He also loved to travel. Surviving besides his wife are 4 children Lynn Belli of Ferdinand, Indiana, Leo (Terri) Belli and Mark (Debbie) Belli, both of Allegany and Steven Belli of Cocoa, FL; 2 step granddaughters; 1 step great granddaughter; 1 brother Joseph Belli of Allegany; 2 sisters Mary (Frank) Chesner of Weston's Mills and Teresa (John) Dooley of Thornton, Colorado and several nieces and nephews. He was looking forward to the birth of his step great grandson on April 19th. Friends will be received at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home 3128 W. State Rd. Olean Saturday evening from 7-9pm and on Sunday from 2-4 & 7-9pm. Funeral services will be held Monday (April 19, 2010) beginning with a prayer service at 9:30am in the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St. Bonaventure Church. Rev. Richard Husted, OFM, pastor, will be the celebrant. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery with full military services being accorded by the ritual team of the Allegany American Legion. Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Allegany American Legion, the Allegany Fire Department PO Box 95 Allegany, NY or to Sisters of St. Benedict 802 E. 10th St. Ferdinand, Indiana 47532.