OLIVEIRA, Tony Oliveira - October 2nd, 2024

Tony passed away unexpectedly at home, in the arms of his wife on October 2, 2024.
Cherished husband for 53 years, Tony is survived by his loving wife Gracinda (Grace) and his children, Sandra Paula (João) and Vera Lucia (Paul). He was a beloved grandfather to Antonio and Eric.
Tony was predeceased by his parents, Leonor Dos Santos Ferreira and Francisco Germano De Oliveira, as well as his brothers, Francisco and Joaquim.

Lovingly remembered by many family and friends across Portugal, France, Brazil, Norway, Luxembourg, Spain, England and Canada.
Tony was born in Santo Antonino, a hamlet of Coruche, within the district of Santarém, Portugal. From an early age, he was a passionate soccer player, competing at a semi-professional level with several teams, including Grupo Desportivo Coruchense, União Futebol Clube de Almeirim, and União de Tomar. His soccer career was disrupted by obligatory military service under the Salazar dictatorship. At just 18 years old, Tony was deployed to an active combat zone in Angola, where he served for three years. The experiences of war left a lasting impact on him, but despite the profound challenges, Tony embraced life with joy, always surrounded by laughter and friendships.

Upon returning to Portugal from Angola, Tony married the love of his life, Grace, in 1971 and joined her and her parents in France where they spent seven years and welcomed their first daughter, Sandra. In 1978, the family returned to Portugal, where their second daughter, Vera, was born. In 1986, Tony moved his family to Canada with few resources, working tirelessly to build a new life and establish a solid foundation for his family in their new country. It was in Canada that Tony discovered his passion for golf, and he quickly became a skilled player, regularly winning amateur tournaments. He also taught his wife, Grace how to play, and they often enjoyed time together on the greens. Committed to giving back to the community, Tony organized the "Grace Oliveira Tournament for Colon Cancer" for four consecutive years after Grace's recovery from colon cancer, raising over $10,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Tony was a loving father and instilled the meaning of hard work and dedication into his daughters and supported them wholeheartedly in every endeavor. Tony also loved his two sons-in-law João and Paul and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them.

Tony worked as an electrician for many years at Space Age Electric, where he enjoyed his time before eventually retiring. In 2011, Tony and Grace returned to Portugal, the place that had always held a special place in Tony’s heart. He took immense pride in his homeland and cherished the many friends and family he had there. In his hometown of Santo Antonino, Tony introduced golf to many of his friends and never had to worry about finding a golfing partner.
In his later years, Tony was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which progressed rapidly into dementia. Despite this, he continued to remain fluent in four languages. In 2021, Tony and Grace returned to Canada, where he spent his final years enjoying his grandson's hockey and baseball games and cherishing time with family.

Tony was a vibrant personality, full of life and laughter. Those fortunate enough to spend time with him were always treated to endless stories and shared moments of joy. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Please join with the family for a Funeral Service in the Chapel of Armstrong Funeral Home, 124 King Street East, Oshawa on Tuesday October 8th at 3pm. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 1:30pm to 3pm. Cremation will follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s Society of Durham Region would be greatly appreciated by the family.
Link to donate: https://alzheimer.ca/durham/en/take-action/donate

For online condolences please visit armstrongfh.ca