Anthony "Tony" R. Fabiano

Anthony "Tony" Fabiano passed away Wednesday, April 17, 2019 with his loving wife by his side holding his hand. He was born on February 24, 1927, in Rockford, Illinois, the youngest child of Dominic and Jenny (Cassaro) Fabiano. He grew up in South Rockford's Italian community, and in his youth was a Golden Glove Boxing Featherweight Champion and a legend in the pool hall. But after spending 18 months in the U.S. Army, he got serious, enrolled in the University of Illinois, and earned his law degree in 1954. Tony returned to Rockford, opened his law office, and began a distinguished legal career that lasted 65 years, never officially retiring. He loved the practice of law, considering it the noblest profession. Tony viewed the role of a lawyer as taking on other people’s troubles, resolving their problems, and thereby easing their burdens. It is a testament to his love of the law and the strength of his personality that his three children followed him into the profession. He enjoyed having practiced with all of his children at some point in his career. He was very proud of his daughters’ accomplishments in the legal profession and so relished the last 23 years being in partnership with his son. In 1957, Tony met Marisa Bronzi on a blind date. He knew he had met the perfect woman, as he often described his wife. During their courtship, he wooed her with tomatoes from his garden in lieu of flowers. It worked, and they married a year later, on June 14, 1958. They settled down, raised four children, and shared 61 happy years together. It was at the University of Illinois that Tony discovered his passion for knowledge, and he spent a lifetime learning - voraciously reading, educating himself on, and thinking about a myriad of subjects. He could discuss, or maybe its more accurately described as lecture on, so many topics, from physics to history, philosophy to psychology, and everything in between. He kept a dictionary behind his seat at the kitchen table, and he referenced it often during dinner discussions. Tony was very proud of his Italian heritage. In 1971, this pride and his sense of adventure led him on the first of many trips abroad, taking his young family on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the land of his ancestors. He and his family spent six and a half weeks exploring their roots, from the town in Sicily where Tony’s parents were born, to his wife’s relatives’ home in Tuscany, and all the way to Milan. It was an adventure that has supplied a lifetime of memories. Tony loved people and good conversation. He believed that close family and good friendships were essential to a happy life, and he took care to nurture those relationships. He never missed morning coffee downtown with his friends, which included his contemporaries, as well as younger lawyers eager to learn his philosophy of life. And oh how he loved Saturday morning coffee with family. He believed a fulfilling life included not only meaningful work, but outside interests. To that end, he was an expert gardener and competitive tomato grower. No one could grow a tomato like Tony. But above all else, Tony loved his family. He was fiercely protective of and utterly devoted to his wife, children, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. His sons and daughters could not have been blessed with a more loving, wise, and supportive father. He was so proud of his grandchildren. He thought them the most handsome, beautiful, smartest, talented children, never missing any event in their lives, big or small, and they adored their “Papa” in return. He was a loving son, brother, and uncle. He so loved his many nieces and nephews, and looked forward to all the family reunions. He was the family counsellor, the one whom everyone looked to for help and guidance, the one who could make sense out of life's difficulties. As one of his nieces so tenderly put it, our hearts are breaking - our family has lost its greatest treasure.

Tony is survived by his loving wife Marisa, his devoted children Janon Fabiano, Lisa Fabiano
(David Taylor), and Thomas (Seema) Fabiano, his adoring grandchildren James "Jamie", Maya, Olivia and Sophia Fabiano, his sisters-in-law Maria Fabiano and Chi-Chi Fabiano, his brother-in-law William (Lois) Bronzi, and his many caring nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his beloved son James "Jamie" Fabiano, his parents, his brothers Peter, Nicholas and Joseph Fabiano, his sisters Sarah (Mario) Locarno and Mary (Tony) Militello, and his nephew Ronald Locarno.
Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 4401 Highcrest Road. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Road and will continue on Wednesday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. Burial in Calvary Catholic Cemetery. To express online condolences, please visit: www.fitzgeraldfh.com.