LIFE STORY

Anthony Patterson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 22, 1957 to Fred and Bernice Patterson.  He was known to us as Tony... and “big Tony” if he and his youngest daughter were in the same room.  Tony was the youngest of eight children.  He was educated in the Philadelphia Public School System and graduated from Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School in 1975. 

Shortly after graduation from high school, Tony enlisted and served in the Army National Guard.  He received an honorable medical discharge.  After his brief enlistment in the military, Tony pursued employment at Kingsbury, Inc as a machine operator.  He later worked at TASTYKAKE, DePaul Construction Company and UPS.  Tony  had the heart of an entrepreneur and after working at UPS for several years, Tony was inspired to pursue opening his own business. In 1988, Toni established T.P. Moving and Hauling. He built the business over the years to a successful moving company that he maintained until his health deteriorated this year. His daughters and nephew plan to continue keeping the business going, as this is what he wanted.

In February, 1978, he met and later married his best friend, Anita (Tippy)Boulware.  From this union, two beautiful daughters were born: Antania Catherine Diane Patterson and Anwanette Crystal Joyce Patterson.  Later on, Tony met Theresa Burnett and they had a son, Anthony Patterson, Jr. (AJ). Tony loved his kids and maintained especially close relationships with their mothers.

Tony was an athlete and a fitness enthusiast.  He loved weight training, bike riding and boxing.  He fought in several semi-professional middle weight events.  He won several of his competitive boxing matches. He passed this love for fitness onto his children and grand children and encouraged them to learn to box. He also loved watching professional boxing with his brother Fred (with whom he shared the same birthday). Although Tony cared very much about his health, he loved to eat! He loved to cook out and make his famous barbecue sauce that many of us hated but pretended to like so we didn't hurt his feelings. We will miss the jumbo shrimp and steaks that he cooked perfectly on the grill just for us. He also loved his sister Cathy’s banana pudding and her mac and cheese.

Tony had a unique and intense personality.  He was passionate, emotional and a deep thinker and sometimes talked to us all in riddles that we sometimes understood and other times, pretended to understand so he would be quiet... He had a great and sometimes obnoxious sense of humor. He would joke with and tease the nursing staff that cared for him as long as he was able to speak. Tony was charismatic, and he was the life of the party. He had a smile that would light up a room. Tony was mechanically inclined and enjoyed fixing up and tinkering with vehicles as a hobby.  He rebuilt several antique sports cars and took pride in this accomplishment. 

Tony had a love for dogs and almost always had a dog or two. When he was a child he had several. His first dog's name was Bromo. In 2018, after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and have an extended period of depression, his daughters gifted him a beautiful black and brown dog that he named “Mister” to lift his spirits.   He also regularly and proudly reminded us that the dogs matched his furniture and carpet. Once when Mister was lost, Tony was devastated.  He and his nephew, Terry searched everywhere for days.  His daughter, Tania who lives in North Carolina was able to locate Mister via the internet and Tony and Mister were reunited after 4 long days. In 2019, while doing a moving job, a puppy came running down the street. Tony looked around for his owner and after a while took him home. He tried hard not to get attached in case someone claimed him later. He said he understood the heartbreak of losing a pet and was praying for a safe return. After, a few weeks of no one claiming the puppy, Tony named him “Buster”.  Both dogs were a source of strength and pride for him during his illness. He did EVERYTHING with the dogs. He slept with them, ate with them, he even showered with them....He frequently took them to the dog park to ensure they got proper exercise even as his illness progressed. Tony's referred to his dogs as his "kids" or his "boys" and would give them piggyback rides when he was physically able. He also talked our heads off about them for hours and got offended when we were less than enthused to listen to his stories about them. He was very concerned about what would happen to them once he passed. After Tony was in the hospital for several weeks, his daughters and nephew had to make a tough decision to rehome one of the dogs. His nephew, Terry continued to care for Mister and brought him to visit Tony so he could say goodbye.   

Tony attended Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. He accepted Christ as his Lord and savior and said he talked to God often... He jokingly assured us that he accepted Christ multiple times and rededicated his life “just to be sure”… (insert smile here). On December 27, 2019,  after an intense fight for his life, surrounded by family and a faithful friend, Ron, Tony took his last breath on earth and join his parents, sisters, Victoria, Carolyn and Alice (who passed on the same day, a few years prior) as well as his grandson, Judah in heaven...

Tony leaves to cherish his memory: two daughters – “Tania” Hubbard (Darryl) and “Baby Toni" Patterson, one son– Anthony Patterson, Jr. (AJ); four grandchildren - Mekhi, Aubrey, Zion and Elias; two sisters – Flossie Wilson (Robert) and Catherine Thomas-King (David); two brothers: Fred Patterson (Mildred), Willie J. Patterson (Ruby); a special nephew -Terry, a special sister-in-law – Brenda Mullen, and a host of other nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and his companion, Mister.