When I found out that Tony was riding in the MS150 last year I couldn't help but rib him about some of the old timers along the way not being particularly kind to the riders. I would tell him stories about tacks on the road, hay wagons hogging the road and road signs pointing the wrong way. Tony would just smile and say he was making the ride no matter what. I told him when he rode through the small town of Fayetteville there would be something by the road to watch for it. I had decided to make a sign and write something on it. Being from the same school of thrift that Tony graduated from, I found an old door that my neighbor had put for garbage and a can old paint and made a sign. I raced down Saturday morning and tied it to pole. Seems like every one seen the sign except Tony and Dave.

Tony was a great person and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. 

George Petter

I was working in building 13 when Tony began his career at JSC, and first had the privilege of working with him on the X-38 project. He was a great guy to work for. We shared an office for a while, one that had not just a window, but a whole wall of glass overlooking some grass and trees between buildings 13 and 15. After 9-11, Tony really admired the American flag poster my employer passed out in tribute. Tony touched so many lives with his generosity and His love, shining through his wonderful smile. Tony’s body was truly a temple, a dwelling place for God. One could see that he took care of his physical body. The testimonies we heard this week reveal to us all how he cared for his mental and spiritual self also. As we each make our way through our sorrow and grief at Tony’s sudden and tragic departure, I ask each of us to stay focused on our current activity; whether it’s driving the same old route we do every day, simply carrying a cup of soup from the kitchen to the table, just walking across a street or down some stairs, - whatever we are doing. Accidents can happen so fast, and have such a big impact on so many people.

I pray that the young woman (who was at the wrong place at the wrong time on Saturday morning when Tony made a turn on his bike) is embraced by as much love, compassion and consolation as Tony’s family and friends are.

I challenge you all to do your best to help make one of Tony’s goals become a reality -– let’s continue to be the ARED team Tony stood up for, and finish this Advanced Resistive Exercise Device on schedule & within budget.

- Sonia Ried James

Tony had a knack for encouraging people and getting them to come out of their shells. He was always coming up with ways to get people involved and to get them to enjoy where they worked. He posted "Got MILT?" signs everywhere to get people fired up for the ARED "Man in the Loop Testing". He would gather everyone to go eat ice cream (free, of course at the B3 cafeteria) for a quick break and an opportunity to socialize. I sit near Tony, but his office is blocked by a cubicle wall. I would hear muffled sounds of the guys talking… Tony, Mark, Dave & Joe Z and there would always be laughter in those sounds. Yesterday, I swear I heard Tony's voice and for a moment I felt comforted and thought, "Oh, Tony's here!" I will always remember Tony as a great leader and an even better human being.

Britney Meckfessel

- Hungry! it would describe the obvious, Tony loved to eat, and he would tell us he worked out so much so he could eat as much as he wanted. it would also describe his attitude and energy, hungry for life, emotional, driven to success for himself and his team. His work ethic was so strong it effortlessly spread to those he led and worked with. I will always appreciate his leadership. This was the first project I worked on after joining NASA, and Tony made me feel like my role was important, that what i did mattered. I could not ask for a better person to lead me and help me grow as a young engineer, even though he made me wear a tie my first "casual Friday."

Danny Carrejo

I could write several volumes. Again, I don't think anything says it better than President Kennedy:

..."But this city of Houston, this State of Texas, this country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered by those who moved forward - and so will space. "...
..."We choose to go to the Moon, and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.....because that goal will organize and measure the best of our energies and skills……."

That, to me, summed up what Tony was about. If anybody ever lived up to JFK's ideal, it would have to be Tony Dao. He was driven....I don't think he ever let up. Doing the "hard things" is what Tony lived for. The best work of my career may never have happened without his unique combination of inspiration and arm-twisting. It seems like Tony was always there pushing it.

In a rare moment of clarity, I once cornered him and said, "Wow! I can't believe we did that!". He just smiled and said, "You can do anything if you set high expectations of yourself and work your butt off."

Favorite Story:

Words: motivation, inspiration, camaraderie. Leadership. Relentlessly hard working, but always a true friend.

Galen Overstreet

When we heard about Tony this weekend, Tammy and I were devastated. It was/is just so hard to digest this as reality. Tony and his family have been in our thoughts ever since. Today, we sort of "halfway" came into work...

Over the past few days, many fond memories of Tony have been floating around in my head. Over the years, Tony and I had moved away from the daily interactions that we used to have back in the "old days in ES." Instead, we would bump into each other around site and see each other sporadically at social events outside of work... and also, we would see each other at the daycare dropping off or picking up our kids. The strongest/fondest memory I have of Tony was his fantastic smile/laugh. Inevitably, within a few minutes of conversation, we would be joking about something, anything, and everything... and Tony had this laugh that was just so fun and natural. I know that you guys know what I am talking about... and I hope that somehow you can work this in... Tony will be terribly missed.
g

George K. Gafka

Selfless and Dedicated; we have heard how these words could be used to describe his work ethic and his relationship with co-workers, teammates, and friends. As expected, these words ring true when describing the love for his wife and especially his boys. I remember being at his wedding, having the privilege to capture those precious moments through the lens of a camera. Most husbands-to-be would have been happy to sit back and let their better half run the show, not Tony. I never saw a groom work so hard to make everything perfect and everyone happy. And if one wedding wasn’t enough, somehow he pulled off both a traditional Vietnamese and Catholic ceremony in the same day without a hitch, giving his wife just a small preview of what life would be like with him. Later in life, when some of us were having little buckaroos and buckaretts, Tony and Diane were blessed with two little boys, Matthew and Michael. I miss our conversations when we talked about our kids and our “plans” for them. Our gang would often joke with each other about the extracurricular activities we should have our kids involved in and when. “Hey man, you don’t have your 3-year old in soccer yet? Shoot, there goes his professional sports career!” Even though we were joking half the time, Tony would always be asking us what we had our kids busy with, what they were learning, and what we had planned for them next. It seemed he was always afraid his kids might be missing out on something, when in reality he did everything a great father should do. I will miss my friend, but I take with me memories of man who lived life to the fullest and was an example for all of us on how to enrich our own lives.

Jasen Raboin

Besides being a hero for coupon clippers everywhere and raising the bar in the world of co-op hazing, I'll always remember Tony as an excellent team builder. I think this is one of the reasons he was so universally liked by coworkers at any level in the org chart. He did all the little things that you won't find in the textbook on management. Little things like posting funny quotes from coworkers on the wall and calling impromptu team picnics on a nice day. Little things like hazing co-ops to make them feel like "one of the guys" to making sure that each member of the team had a role to play when management came by for a tour. Little things like making funny but meaningful awards for a job well done to having one-on-one meetings to air grievances. All of these little things made such a big impression because they all came naturally to Tony. He didn't have to set a reminder in Outlook or read a book to do these things. And though he was great leader, you'd never think of him as "the boss" - he was just one of the guys. He had a special gift for making everyone on the team feel important. That was just Tony. That's who I will always remember.

Jason Niebuhr

The way I will always remember him is his contagious smile. And the story that always comes to mind is the one about his grades and the repercussions (no meat put on his plate for Dinner) if he ever brought home a non-A as a student. It exemplifies his character and provides insight into his Asian upbringing which I can relate to. Coincidently, we laughed with Tony last week when he reminded us that it's not only "No meat, That's too lenient…....rice and salt, baby!"

Jeevan Perera

Where do you start?

Tony was an accomplished team leader. He always put his team first. Whenever a biggie came over for a show-and -tell, Tony would ensure that the worker bees got the limelight. The first thing he did after returning from his Wallops Island "charm school" was to assemble the team and share his experiences. He dwelled on his perceived short comings, and laid out a plan for improvement. Tony had high expectations for himself and the team, and expected the vendors to deliver on cost ...on time. He once was very disturbed when he had trouble "getting through" to a supplier representative who had delivered over cost and months late. Tony told him .." you delivered the pizza cold and it's double the price!" He had a way of explaining things so all could understand.

Although he was a firm customer, he was just as quick w/ a word of praise for a job well done.

Tony really believed in family, and considered the ARED team as a family. All birthdays were remembered and recognized. Although, it was always some kind of a scam. We had a co-op "celebrate" his birthday here. The young UT student always took notes to capture comments, whenever we had an astronaut "check-out" the ARED engineering unit. Tony got a girl to pretend to be an astronaut trainer and had the co-op do the normal note taking duties. After a short introduction Tony and the other team members left the room and the girl started "hitting" on the unsuspecting co-op. Of course, all this was captured on video.

Tony believed everyone on the team was important. We had a couple of milestone celebrations, and Tony made certain that all were included from all levels. It didn’t matter whether you were the customer funding the project or the cleaning lady for the office. You were part of the team and always recognized.

Tony was big on fitness and diet. He always had his cereal for breakfast. But, he lacked domestic training. After leaving a empty milk carton in the trash to sour over the weekend…. several times…., one of our female team members had to set him straight. She outlined the proper procedure for rinsing the carton thoroughly prior to disposal. I think yes mamm was his response. Tony nagged me all the time to go to the gym and workout w/ him. Well, when the new Gilruth facility opened, and my company made it available for free, I had to give in. We worked out for an hour daily for the past 2.5 weeks. I was hurting at first, but got to where I really looked forward to this time. I had just told him last Thursday how much I appreciated him taking the time to show me the different exercises, and how to use the various pieces of equipment. I knew I was slowing him down, and was probably a burden. But, true to form, he turned things around, and thanked me for going to the gym w/ him. He said he had trouble keeping a work out partner. So, I said...hmmm, maybe I need to find out why everyone else has quit! We both had a good laugh.

Tony was a great listener. We both have sons and would share thoughts and experiences. Since mine are grown and have offered some “interesting” experiences to share, he often was my sounding board. He never judged…just let me air things out. Who needed a therapist w/ him around.

Tony was one of the best dressed people I know. Let’s say he always looked like to stepped out of a Macey’s catalog. Not over done, just very neat. He took great pride in his appearance. He used to tell me, “presentation is key.” I told him more than once, that I heard it was never good to out dress your boss…and he made that easy.

Tony shared an office area with Chris Lamoreaux, Dave Young, Mark Landeck, and me. It was made clear when we all moved in that "anything goes" inside this room. It was the politically incorrect office. We had many lively discussions on hardware designs, manufacturing philosophy, all types problem resolution…...some even work related…, w/ no holds barred. It was often said in jest, “I don’t feel the love” , since to an outsider it may have looked like we were bickering. But be assured the love was there. There’s just a huge void, now.

Tony was my co-worker, boss, confidant, leader, personal trainer, and most of all, a great friend. In a word to describe Tony…..CLASS. He was a class act.

Joe Zamaitis

My friend Tony... Wholesome! I've never been around a more wholesome person. Some of you might not know about the ARED skunk works type team Tony has developed over here in bldg. 32a. I've always thought it sounded corny when people used Family as a description of their working group... believe me, we've got a family type working group here and it's got Tony's name all over it. Tony loved quotes. Our working area has quotes all over the walls from our team members throughout the years. They wouldn't make much sense to others, but you had to be careful of what you said, because every time you turned around... there it was... something you said, on the wall... and Tony with a big smile.

Everyone always loved working for Tony. Lately, we've been talking a lot about the NASA bureaucracy of building flight hardware. Tony had a line he liked to use about it... "Doing something right" vs. "Doing something the right way" He would push us to do things in a way that made sense... like you would in your garage. Then, he would take care of the bureaucracy side of the job for us. Always standing up for us and our decision.

Unselfish... Tony went out of his way to give others credit for their work. I mean, like no one you've ever worked for. He developed an award he called, "Get-R-Done" You really need to see this plaque. It's got a picture of Tony with a cutoff sleeve shirt, and a John Deer type hat. very funny.

Here are a few more things that may give you some insight of Tony's Team. What he did daily and how he built the camaraderie on the team:
Picnic lunches on nice days outside our office. (we stole the bench from X-38) Constant pranks pulled on everyone (he played no favorites)
Hazing the Co-op. (wasn't "The Word" Tony's idea??) Tony eating his bowl of Corn Flacks in the morning (Krogers brand, bought with a coupon of course)
That laugh you would hear when he liked something you said.
His Relentless drive to make you happy The Sincere way he asked and listened to your opinion.
Sharp dressed Man
The pride he took in getting Joe Z and Dave Young to workout with him at lunch.

Tony Was Always Always Happy!

I'm going to really Miss him.

Mark Landeck

Tony was contagious. I loved being around him. I love the story of his life and how he chose to relay it to you. Every "negative" thing always had a positive message….full of humor and respect. I loved how he never let "No" stop him from doing what he felt was right. He once told me that "You can choose to do it the right way or you can choose to do it right….but always understand that there is a difference!". I loved his passion for life and his tenacity for living it. I loved how he never got caught in the details of a problem or issue, but rather look for the positive in the results. He handled stress with humor and a smile...maybe that was his secret.

On his desk there is a picture of him holding his son Mathew. Something about that picture has stayed with me since I first saw it. Maybe it is because it I am a father as well, but just the thought of that picture makes me want to hold my kids.

A good story that I think reflects Tony's character is what he did when he returned from Wallops (a 2 week Project Management course). I sat with him the day he returned and we talked about some of the things they did there. He noted that he did not score as well as he had wanted... but most of the conversation was about what he wanted to do to improve. Later that day we had an ARED team meeting and in typical "Tony" fashion he began to relay to his team all of the same information he had told me earlier. He went as far as to say he scored "xx" below what was the average for the course. Again, he focused the conversation on ways he could improve his leadership skills and looked to his team for support. The ironic thing is that in the eyes of his team... by just opening himself up and identifying his faults …he ultimately showed them the strength of his leadership. It is this natural ability that has made the ARED team a true family and ultimately...a successful project. On his wall in his office is this quote:

"The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or conclude that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership."

--Colin Powell

I truly believe that Tony understood this message and I only hope that he knew that regardless of what the numbers say…leaders are born, not made…and Tony was born a leader.

To all of us though...Tony is and will always be...our friend.

Mike Rapley

I don't really know where to start. I have been friends with Tony for many years and a few years ago I became his supervisor. Jasen Raboin and I asked Tony to move into the branch to become the ARED (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device) Project Manager. The thing that struck me immediately was Tony's ability to get things done and his natural leadership skills. He went after every task with so much passion and commitment that I didn't have to worry about it being completed. As far as leadership, Tony was a natural. Most of us have to read books and books about what it takes to get people to follow you. Tony didn't, people just gravitated to him because of his infectious smile and upbeat attitude. He never took credit for any of his team's accomplishments but, he was quick to take full responsibility for things when they didn't go quite right. He threw parties, had lunches, picnics, pulled pranks, gave awards, talked to his team, listened to his team, asked them for advice, I could go on and on. Maybe Tony should have written a book "101 Ways to Lead People". Tony left a huge hole in our NASA team that will never be filled but I am confident he is looking down on us and we will carry his spirit and indelible mark with us forever.

My prayers go out to Dianne, the boys and the rest of the family. I know Tony was an awesome husband, father, son, and friend to everyone. We will all miss him very much!

Scott Swan

Tony, Tony, Tony

What can you say? The boys ‘got game’ as he always used to say as he was describing someone who had it together. I have worked with Tony since the X-38 days and have a great deal of respect for him. There are many characteristics that standout about Tony, none more or less important than the other; they all are part of his make up.

The first thing that comes to mind is the tremendous work ethics that he possessed. You could tell that he was definitely raised right and this is a credit to his parents and family. Tony loved to strive towards the goal whatever it was at the time. He was always pushing to Git R Dun even if it meant bending a few rules. I would always be at work early and Tony would come walking in briskly and straight for his computer. It wasn’t 15 seconds later that the keyboard was singing as he penned some e-mail that he obviously had been thinking about on the way to work. Of course, he would then take a short cornflakes break before getting back after it.

Although he wanted to get the job done he had a great sense of humor and a knack for incorporating humor every day and sometimes several times a day. He was a royal prankster and as someone has said everyone was fair game. There are so many funny Tony stories that I remember. Some of them pop into my mind at the strangest time. How about the time Tony formed the Advanced Rat Apprehension Team (ARAT) to catch the rat that had been discovered in the building. The constant Coop harassment, the silly awards, the coupons, the ‘punk o the week’ club in which a person was to bring donuts on Friday mornings and the wrath that ensued if the food wasn’t there by 8 o’clock.

Appreciation for the efforts of others. Tony would always be on the look out to recognize people who helped his project and would try to reward them. He was not out to take the credit for himself. He truly fostered a team & ‘family’ atmosphere. People wanted to be on the ARED team and work hard for the project to succeed. He was so proud to be part of a project that involved designing, analyzing, and producing hardware from start to finish. He felt lucky to be doing so.

Work ethics, a sense of humor, appreciation for others and many other qualities are what made up Tony’s character and his great leadership qualities. The truth is that Tony’s got game and the truth will always be.

Dave Young

Tony Dao

So, a couple of days ago, I told my Mom that we had a funeral of a very good friend. I mentioned that there was a wake and a funeral. Not being experienced in funerals and such, I asked if it was OK to joke around and tell funny stories at the wake. She said, well if it is an Irish wake then you can – if not, then yes, you need to be serious. Well, Tony is not exactly Irish but he definitely had a sense of humor, so I think he would appreciate this.

You had to have your act together to hang out with him. You couldn’t get to an appointment or an outing faster than him. If you were late, he would take off without you. If circumstances prevented him from doing that then he would berate you when you got there - always in a funny way that would make everyone crack-up. Tony used to organize these little mini bike rides on weekend early mornings – we would meet at a gas station to park our cars and move on from there. For the first one, I was a couple of minutes late and, of course, I arrive to see him and a few others backsides peddling away. The next week I arrived just at the stated hour and luckily they hadn’t taken off yet. I went to put on my shoes - and when I was set there, they were nowhere to be found. But he wasn’t that strict as him and the others had gone into the gas station to do their business. When we were all set, we eagerly headed out – after a couple of minutes of riding all I could see was Tony’s backside ride into the early morning hours.

Tony always made you laugh. In my case, this laughter was many times at my expense. He would make fun of my hair, my clothes, my sometimes rude/obnoxious remarks to international partners, etc. - always very funny and in good taste. In fact, I think that he knew that I liked that stuff and that is why he kept it up. As others will attest, he would do whatever it took to make you comfortable and feel like part of the group. Incidentally, he HATED this jacket that I am wearing – he thought it was “disco” and it would bug him to no end when I wore it on oversea trips. So I hope he enjoys it one last time.

The guy had a hollow leg. Our favorite eateries were buffets! He took great delight in treating German partners to the American tradition of buffets. The best was the Oriental Gourmet and the equivalents. Tony would eat several plates of sushi before moving on to the hard stuff. Galen has a funny story where Tony was dumfounded by Galen’s lack of chopstick dexterity and exclaimed after staring Galen for several minutes… “I love to watch a Texan eat with chopsticks.”

You could depend on Tony for certain consistencies… such as…
• A Great appetite
• A Tight wallet
• Tight schedules
• Big laughs
• Selfless leader
• Tireless engineer
• A Great friend
• A Great family man

Tony is within each of us and part of each of us here. We are…
• better Engineers
• better Athletes
• better Friends
• better Spouses
• better Parents
• better People

…because of him and because he shared his life with us.

Chris Madden

I along with everyone else, could probably share many stories about Tony. But I'll share one memory that I think best suits the Tony I knew. It involves the first night I shared a hotel with him and CJ on the night before the MS150. He had talked me into staying near the start line to avoid the hassle of waking up so early and making the drive from Clear Lake that morning. He promised me I'd be much better rested if I did it that way. I took his advice, and after carbo loading at The Pasta Co, he announced "lights out" at 9pm. An hour later, he got up to drink some fluid concoction and crumble a wrapper. He proceeded to do this nearly every hour for the rest of the night! When the alarm went off at 5 something a.m., I groaned with what was one of the worst night's sleep I'd had in a while. "There's no time for sleeping-in Gilmore, we gotta ride!" He told me that was all part of his pre-ride fuel and hydration routine. After getting to know him better, I started to learn that night was a microcosm of his life as I knew it. He made the most out his life and never accepted a 50% day. Whether it's riding in the MS150, managing the ARED project, or most importantly, raising a family, he tirelessly pursued greatness in everything he did. Tony truly was a great person.

I don't think I can pinpoint a time when I talked him and I he didn't get me laughing about something. That's the Tony however, I'll probably miss the most.

Adam Gilmore

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of our beloved friend and family member, Tony Dao, as he transitions from this life to the eternal after life.

Yesterday, we heard testimonials from Tony’s friends and family members. They discussed Tony’s passion for life. We all remember how Tony’s smile and laughter could light up a room. How Tony treated his body like a temple. Eating all the right foods, and lot’s of it, and exercising consistently and passionately.

Tony’s brother, Tu, mentioned how Tony graduated with a Masters Degree from Wichita State at the top of his class. Tony was diligent and disciplined in his studies and all that he did. From his coworkers we heard testimonials of how Tony had a driven and passionate work ethic. He communicated frequently and openly with his team, customers, and stakeholders. And he always kept everyone working towards a common goal. But more importantly, Tony cared about people. He made sure people were recognized and rewarded for their efforts. In all aspects of his life, Tony put others before himself as the Bible tells us we should.

We all saw first hand how Tony was proud of his Vietnamese heritage and his humble beginnings when he first came to America at the age of 11. It helped define who he was.

And, of course, we all know how much Tony adored his wife Diane and loved his boys Matthew and Michael. He created a strong family identity that will long endure.

John Kowal mentioned how Tony had expressed his value system; God, family, work. Tu mentioned how Tony also had a religious passion, was very spiritual, and studied the Bible often. Tony was always looking to sharpen the saw and his religious passion took no exception. At this time, I would like to read a verse from the Bible that reminds me of Tony. It comes from Matthew Chapter 21, versus 18-22. It is about Jesus.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on this tree henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How soon is the fig tree withered away!"
Jesus answered and said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done."
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

Tony Dao overcame many obstacles in his life and he did many great things. But it was not through hard work and sheer will alone. He was not alone here and he will not be alone in the after life! Tony Dao knew what he wanted, was a devout Christian, prayed regularly, and wasn’t one to doubt. I believe that is one of the reasons why Tony was so successful in all aspects of his life.

So while we share great pain at the loss of our beloved friend and family member, we should find great comfort and solace in the fact that Tony was a devout Christian, a devout Catholic, and is in a better place.

Those who were close to Tony became better because of his example and we should continue to follow that example.

Tony, thank you for being a part of our lives. You will be missed! God bless you!

Gerard Valle

For those of you who don't know me, my name is John Kowal. I came to know Tony in 1996 at work, and over the years he became my best friend. I'm sure there are many here today who also regard him as their best friend. That's Tony. He offered his friendship in so many ways: a work colleague, someone to go to lunch or dinner with, to work out with, to bike with. He was the self-appointed social chairman for all the groups of which he was a part. He was very easy to talk to - to joke with and to have very serious discussions. It was through such a serious discussion that Tony told me his priorities in life- God is number 1; family number 2 and work number 3. It is apparent that by setting his priorities in this way he became the individual that we all knew and loved.

Work

Family

Tony listed family as his number 2 priority. He was a loving and respectful son, a dependable brother, and a loving, caring, devoted husband and father. He may no longer be with us on Earth, but his love for Dianne and the boys will last forever. He set the standard for all husbands and fathers, and while we may try to meet it, I'm afraid we will always come up a bit short.

Friends

When I first recalled his life priorities, it seemed strange that I could not remember where his friends fit in. But then it occurred to me. To Tony, friends were family. As he and I grew close, he treated me like a brother. He and Dianne honored me by asking me to be the godfather of their firstborn son, Matthew. They welcomed me into their lives, into their families, as they did so many others. Many of his team members at work have stated how Tony created a family atmosphere within the team. He valued each individual. He included everyone.

God

God was Tony's number 1 priority. It may not have been apparent to everyone who knew him, but Tony was not only very religious, he was very spiritual. His religion was not a simple weekly commitment, it was a daily pursuit. He studied religious history, he studied the scripture, and he brought it into his everyday life. It carrier over into his other priorities - family, friends and work. It made him who he was.

If you came to Tony with a personal problem, he was always there for you (many times over for me!). He would always listen. At times he would come back to you with relevant scripture, helping to show you the way. He was never judgmental, and had a way of asking just the right questions to get you to a solution. I'm sure if Tony were here with us right now, he could explain why he was taken from us and how we should work through the pain and grief to come out stronger and to embrace our lives.

He once sent me the following scripture, which may offer us some comfort today:

In the words of Jesus ( from Matthew Chapter 11, verses 28-30): "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Tony, my brother, you will be missed. Be with God, and may God be with us.

John Kowal