Obituary of Dr. Anthony J. Sarro

Tony Sarro was born on July 18,1929 to Nicholas Sarro and Rose Miele in Brooklyn, NY, the middle child of three, with older sister Marie Schmahl and younger brother Robert Sarro.  His parents and siblings have pre-deceased him.

Raised in Greenpoint and later in Forest Hills, NY, he attended PS 101, Xavier High School, Fordham University undergrad, Georgetown University for his Masters, and Downstate Medical School to become an ENT Physician, practicing privately for about 50 years.  With his innate ability to connect, and his huge repertoire of jokes, his patients adored him.

Prior to medical school, he served in the US Naval Explosive Ordinance Division, the predecessor to today’s Navy Seals, where he received commendations and founded the Naval Diving School.

While at Georgetown, he met and married his beautiful wife Mary who lived in the same Washington DC boarding house.  Mary has predeceased him, but he is survived by his four children Terry, Anthony, Nick, and Maria, his niece Kathy, his grandchildren: Christina, Catarina (married to Jerry), Richard (married to Margaret), Erica (married to Nate), Christian, Jaime, and Anthony, and his great grandchildren Sharlee, Maggie, Thai, and Jack.

Tony and Mary raised their children in Forest Hills, NY where he was an active member of the Our Lady Queen of Martyrs choir and the Forest Hills Men’s club.  Although Italian by heritage, he also sang with a German singing society.  He performed and sang for many years with the Forest Hills Community House shows, and he regularly brought down the house with style.  During summers, they went to their Lake House in New Fairfield Connecticut.

Tony had a unique magnetic personality that made a big impact.  Always ready with a joke, song, wisdom, charm, and insights, he was beloved by all.  He was a talented singer/performer, woodworker/craftsman, stained glass artist, and harmonica/piano player.  He could fix just about anything, and could recite poems and Shakespeare on command.  His children were shaped by his powerful influence and inspiration.   

A deeply spiritual man with tremendous strength of character and an unparalleled will, his favorite quote was from Winston Churchill – “Never give up, never give up, never give up,” and he never did.

So many were touched by his generosity and one of a kind personality.  He lived his life embodied in his signature song “My Way” as he certainly did it “His Way”.  If not a doctor he could have been Frank Sinatra! :) 

The world lost an amazing, one of a kind man when Anthony left his body at age 95.  He is deeply loved and will be deeply missed.