Dr. Anthony S. (Tony) Papalia, age 92, passed away September 6, 2024. He was born in Warren, Pennsylvania to the late Frank and Carmela (Rositano) Papalia. He graduated from Warren Area High School and went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in teaching from Oberlin College. While at Oberlin, Tony was in the ROTC program where upon graduating he entered in to the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant. While also at Oberlin, he met his future wife, harpist Ruth Wickersham. In 2020 Tony established the Ruth Wickersham Papalia Award at the American Harp Society in memory of her.
Tony was an air traffic controller while in the Air Force and finished his military career at the rank of captain. Tony then taught social studies at Beaty Junior High School in Warren for two years. He later received a Master’s degree in college counseling from Penn State University and a doctorate from State University of New York at Albany and spent 36 years as the director of counselling services at State University of New York at Cortland.
In addition to his parents, he was proceeded in death by his wife, Ruth; a daughter, Mary Papalia-Clark (Milo); a grandson Andrew DeHart; four brothers, Ralph, Carl, John, and Joseph; and two sisters, Rose Loomis, and Nancy Dorotics. Tony is survived by three daughters, Jean Papalia (Michael Beatty), Anne Papalia (Jerry Berardi), and Martha Berry (Phil); grandchildren Naomi DeHart, Willa Thielen (Matthew), Samantha Berry (Kevin Steiner), Zoe Papalia-Beatty, Jessica Berry (Isaac Neve), Ava Papalia-Beatty, and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 10:30am at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church followed by a lunch. The family will receive friends from 4pm to 6pm in the Chapel of Riccardi Funeral Home, Cortland, N.Y. on October 15, 2024, and at St Anthony’s prior to the Mass from 9:15 am-10:15 am. For additional information contact www.riccardifuneralhome.com in Cortland, N.Y
