Anthony J. Gambardella, age 73 from North Haven, CT went to his Lord suddenly Thursday, February 18, 2016 at his home. Born in New Haven, raised on Ferry Street, with his deceased parents Frank Gambardella and Christine Capone Gambardella. Beloved husband for 51 years to Patricia Gambardella, treasured father to Andrea and Lisa Gambardella, cherished grandfather to Zach Pearce, much-loved brother to Frank Gambardella, much-loved uncle to Stephen and Gina Gambardella and great uncle to Emma, Sophia and Donna Gambardella. Anthony (Tony) graduated Notre Dame High School in 1960 and a Masters of Arts Degree in History and awarded Sixth year Certificate in Educational Administration and Supervision, from Southern Connecticut State College. His career was dedicated to Education, as a Principal at the Walter Cady School, Connecticut Juvenile Detention Center, in Middletown, CT; Eastconn, as a Connecticut State Assessor evaluating new teachers; Educational Consultant to principals in the Edison school district of Philadelphia; Principal at the Joseph Melillo Middle School, East Haven; Principal, Grove J. Tuttle Elementary School, East Haven; Administrative Principal, East Haven High School; K-12 Coordinator of Social Studies East Haven High School; Chairperson, History Department, East Haven Middle School; Teacher Grade 8, United States History and Teacher Grade 9 Ancient and Medieval History and World History East Haven Middle School; and as a Teacher Grade 6 Deer Run Elementary School East Haven. Anthony was a Grand Knight belonging to the Knights of Columbus Council in Hamden. He loved to share his garden with everyone and enjoyed photography. His legacy is that he loved so many people and laughed every day.
His funeral procession will leave the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue Tuesday morning at 8:30. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated in St. Therese Church at 9:00 am. Interment will follow in All Saints Cemetery. The visiting hours will be Monday from 5 to 8 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Anthony J. Gambardella Memorial Scholarship c/o Notre Dame High School, 24 Ricardo Street, West Haven, CT 06516.
Mr. Gambardella became a loved and cherished honorary associate at Stirling Benefits. He brightened company events and took photographs of our staff during their silliest moments. Whenever we had the good fortune to be near him, his laughter and good cheer lifted us. In his presence we all felt lighter, happier and more in Grace.
So sorry about your loss will always remember his smile.
To Patty, Cousin Frankie and all the kids, what a great man we have lost. Never have i seen cousin Anthony when he did not have a huge smile on his face. We would always, by some strange turn of fate, wind up sitting at the same table at family weddings and my wife would always say "what a great guy he is" and "we always have a great time when we sit with Anthony and Patty". My dad Dicky, Uncle Billy, Aunt Marie, Tony Gams, Uncle Wolf, Aunt Chris, Grandpa Willy and Grandma Fannie will all be there to welcome him home. Keep smiling Cousin Anthony, you will be missed.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Lisa. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family
Helene
Truly one of the best men I've ever known!! My condolences to the whole Gambardella family !! Rest in peace my friend ????????????????
My condolences to the family !!!
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me – Beautiful Poem On Death
When tomorrow starts without me,
And I am not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you will miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,
And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It almost seemed impossible
That I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
And all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
Would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity,
And all I have promised you.
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day's the same way
There's no longing for the past.
You have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things.
You knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven
And now at last you're free.
So won't you come and take my hand
And share my life with me?"
So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart.
Andrea,
So sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family.
Andrea-Such a beautiful memorial..An amazing man and role model that lived life to the fullest. Prayers to you and your family..God Bless xo
Dear Patti & family, we are so sorry beyond words to hear of the loss of your beloved Tony, father, brother, grandfather, uncle. Please know that you all and Tony are enwrapped in our hearts and thoughts at this time – we lift you all up in prayer. Our loving Lord is there to help carry you through. Tony's legacy of loving others with his friendly, jovial, light-hearted and caring nature was such a gift. He left a beautiful mark and impression upon this world by touching so many people's lives. Tony was a very special man and will be missed by everyone who knew him. Larry and I were very blessed to have met him. Suffering over the loss of a loved one cannot be put into words. Romans 8:18 reminds us that the sufferings of this world are nothing compared with the glory that will one day be revealed. There is hope in knowing that the suffering will one day cease and be replaced by indescribable glory & joy. Patti & family, at this time, may God's love and comfort surround you and bring you all consolation, hope and the promise of Eternal Life & Glory in The Kingdom where Tony joyfully awaits. Sending much love & prayers from your sister and brother in Christ.
Mr Gambardella was a awesome teacher and awesome friend! We all will miss him so much ????????❤️❤️
Kimberly Licciardi Callahan & family
Deepest sympathy to the family in this time of loss. My prayers are with you to give you strength through this time God bless.
That smile will live on forever. RIP cousin
Condolences to your family, friends which are many xo
The Gambardella Family,
One of the nicest person I ever met. A great outlook on life and a great smile. We live in Florida now but visit Connecticut every summer. Always look forward to see Tony at Sleeping Giant Golf Course K of C golf league. Our sincere condolences Bruce and Betsy Kendall
Truly one of a kind person, I will greatly miss you, and will forever be in debited to how you received me and my brother, Eddie, as part of your wonderful family.
He was a teacher of mine. Always smiling and very personable..I'm saddened for your families loss.
One of the nicest people I ever met. I am truly saddened to hear of Tony's passing. We worked together long after I went through the EH schools myself. I am so sorry for your loss. May he always be remembered by a sole that lit up the room.
Thank you Mr. Gamberdella You were the best teacher i could have had You really cared for your students and took good care of us You had a great influence on my young life and i appreciated it very much You took time to get to know us when no one else would have. Thank you your former 6th grade student
To Lisa and the whole family. We are so sorry for your loss and are thinking of you all. Tony always made us feel so welcome and was such a nice guy. He will be missed.
Laurie,
My condolences to you and you family and your cousin's family for his loss… He has a wonderful journey through life giving his knowledge of education to others and was very loved. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Please accept my heartfelt condolences on Tony's passing. I will remember our comparing notes on how to get through life with teen-age daughters. He was a great guy and will indeed be missed.
In memory of a long-time colleague and friend. Your smile and laugh was contagious. You could always find a positive in the most negative of situations. I will remember our struggles with budgets and supplies and kids and those new positions we landed along the way. So many memories. Somehow we survived it all. Your family was the light of your life. How you will be missed. Sending prayers and deepest sympathy.
Mr Gambardella was an amazing teacher and friend. I was one of the lucky ones that was touched by him! He will be dearly missed!
God needed him in heaven now, but we will forever be warmed by the treasure of Tony's great smile and his love of life. God bless you Tony. My sincere condolences to Patty, Lisa, Andrea, and your whole Family.
We only met Anthony a few times,but a smile and a way about him that was truly unforgettable. We will keep your family in our hearts at this sad time. He will always be with you.
To all of the Family. My condolences to the loss of a great man. Anthony's smile was infectious and his character an example to us all.
So sorry to hear about Tony . He was always such a gentleman , great principal . I was with him for a short time at Melillo Middle School in East Haven .
Dear Mrs. Gambardella and Pearce Family,
I was so saddened to hear about Mr. Gambardella. He was truly a remarkable man! His smile and laugh was contagious. I know Zach was his life!
Our prayers and thoughts are with you at this extremely difficult time.
With deepest condolences,
Nancy, John, Mark, Jason, and his Wife Lisa Ferraro
St. Stephen School – Grade 2
Dear Gambardella family, I am so sorry about the passing of Mr. Gambardella. Working with Andrea I've had the pleasure of meeting him only a handful of times, but let me assure you his laughter and jovial personality won me over immediately. Treasure all the wonderful memories and he will never leave you. You are in my thoughts!
May today's grief soon give way to an overwhelming fond and loving remembrance. The legacy of the positive ways in which Tony shared his life with us will live on forever.
So sorry to hear about Mr. Gambardella…never had him as a teacher…but knew of him during my middle school years…but as fate would have it many years later, he hired me to be a 3rd grade teacher at Tuttle School. I appreciate that he gave me my first classroom teaching experience. He was very kind, supportive and helpful. He knew my parents very well also! Thinking of all of you at this sad time!
He was loved by all who knew him. I loved him like a second Dad. Facebook? Who knew?…we reconnected. So grateful for that. I became a teacher. He always had great advice and wisdom. His legacy is all about love and laughter and that's how I wIll remember him. Whenever I visit when I was in CT (infrequently, always unannounced but always welcomed…) he'd duck into the garden, and come back out with an armful of tomatoes and zucchinis, grinning from ear to ear…A kinder, funnier and gentler man, I will never know.
Your big smile from across the street is going to be greatly missed. Your acts of kindness to our family meant so much. You are surely one of a kind. Toni you and your family are in our prayers.
It was an honor and a privilege to know you, your infectious smile and up beat personality was second to none. Nothing but great memories we will cherish.
Andrea, Pat, Lisa & Zach- Loss is huge that won't be repaired, Its only memories that will stay forever in time. Please stay strong. Our heartfelt condolences are with you.
Dear Patty and family, we are so sorry to hear of Tony's passing. Please know we are thinking of you at this very sad time of your lives, but also know your husband and dad left a lasting legacy. He will always be remembered as a kind, thoughtful man with a smile that touched everyone he met. If there is a round table in heaven for "knights" they have been joined by the best. Ellen and daughters
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Gambardella family at this time. We also acknowledge our prayers are with Zach as we have welcomed him into our extended family with love and respect. We know how much Grandchilren mean to Grandparents and how much Zach loved him. We know God will give you the strength to go on.
Dear Anthony, you are one of the pleaseant memories I have from East Haven High. You always helped and never hurt your fellow teachers or students. You are the perfect picture of a very dedicated teacher and fellow teacher..
Dear Patty, We were so sorry to hear about your loss. Cousin Anthony brought so much joy to the entire world and impacted so many young lives in such positive ways. You and the family have so much to be proud of. I'm glad that we got to spend some time together over the years and I will never forget his gentle nature and wonderful smile.
He was loved by all who knew him. I loved him like a second Dad. Facebook? Who knew?…we reconnected. So grateful for that. I became a teacher. He always had great advice and wisdom. His legacy is all about love and laughter and that's how I wIll remember him. Whenever I visit when I was in CT (infrequently, always unannounced but always welcomed…) he'd duck into the garden, and come back out with an armful of tomatoes and zucchinis, grinning from ear to ear…A kinder, funnier and gentler man, I will never know.
Mr Gambardella was such a wonderful teacher to me , and years later Principal at Tuttle to my boys. He will always be remembered with affection. My heartfelt sympathy to the family. Fondly,Bill,Laura,Liam and Logan Morann
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this time. Tony was a wonderful person. Paulette and family.
In Our Prayers to the Entire Family,
We are very sorry for your loss. Knowing as long as those memories are there, none of the beautiful,funny and happy moments will ever be forgotten . Our thoughts and prayers are with you all in this sad time . Can't express enough love for this strong family. Sue,James & Dante Narduzzo
Dear Patty, Andrea, Lisa and Uncle Frank,
Our deepest sympathy to all of you. Heaven has gained an angel. We will always remember his wonderful smile, his laugh, and him with his camera in hand. He will forever live on in our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this difficult time.
Tony was Dan's basketball coach at Saint Stephen School. He made a lasting impression on everyone he met & touched so many lives . He will be greatly missed.
He was a wonderful teacher at EHHS. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
The memories We will hold close to our heart. We send our love and prayers to the Gambardella family. The big smile and huge heart we will miss.
Love, Rapuano family
Dearest Patty, Andrea and Lisa, May you find comfort in knowing that others are thinking of you and praying for you through this difficult time. Anthony had the most beautiful smile and good nature. He will be missed by many. We keep you, your family, friends and loved ones in our prayers. With heartfelt sympathy………..
A great teacher who would love to help out others,My condolences to the whole Gambardella family.
Dear Pattie and family. What a great loss you have suffered along with those of us who worked with and became friends with Tony. During this sad time you will hear from so many what you already
know: he was a gentle, caring, generous, loving man. Those of us who knew him as an educator knew that he cared so much for all of his
students and those with whom he worked. Personally, I can say from my association with Tony that he was one of the most honorable men I have ever known. He was special. One of the things that you should know is that in his short life he made a difference and positively influenced so many children, young adults, and his colleagues. That is a true testament to a master teacher, administrator, and human being. It was an honor to know him and to be his friend. We will miss him.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of his family. He was truly loved by everyone who knew him.Working for him was a joy, He made everything easy. May God bless his soul.
To all of the family and friends of Tony my deepest condolences. I envy those who knew him for some time, and wish there were more events that allowed more time to get to know him. What I will remember most is his incredible smile, his ability to make even those who only just met him smile, and the laughter and love that he and Andrea expressed when he was was here photographing our staff. Love especially to Andrea.
Dear Pat and family,
With remembrance, I send my warmest love and prayers. Love and blessings, Rita
Dear Patti, Lisa, Andrea & Zach
Your loss is also a loss to those who knew Tony. His radiant smile and sparkling eyes and love poured out from him. I send my sincerest sympathy, love and prayers to all. May you find peace, comfort and grace knowing that God is walking with you during this time. He will be missed.
Dear Patty and family.
Our deepest condolences on the sudden passing of Tony.
His friendly personality and caring ways touched us all.
Our love, support and prayers are with you during this time.
With our heartfelt sympathy.
Sorry for your loss I'll always remember his smile and laugh he was one of the best
My sincerest condolences to Patty, Frankie, Andrea, Lisa and the entire family! Its amazing that the one thing everyone remembers MOST is his infectious smile! God Bless his soul, and all of you, giving you strength helping you through this terrible loss! Have Faith that his is watching over you with all of his family by his side!!
Miss and Love you all!
Cousin Michael
Patti, Frankie and family,
We can't begin to tell you how saddened we are of your loss. He was a gentle man with a amazing smile and wonderful caring attitude, who was taken much too soon..I think now he is in heaven making all of our family members smile
Thank you Anthony
TONY WILL BE MISSED GREATLY.HE WAS A GOOD MAN
Oh, Patty. Sincere sympathies. Pat just forwarded the obituary for Tony. How very sad. I am so very sorry. Think of you fondly from time to time and wonder how you are doing. God bless and keep you in this very sorrowful time.
Andrea