It is with sadness we have learned of the death of Gus Anton, father of Ted Anton, a professor of English. Gus passed away peacefully on Jan. 3 at the age of 94 with his family by his side, in Huntsville, Texas.Anton was born Feb. 15, 1926, in Manhattan, New York. His father was a candy store owner and landlord in East Harlem, who emigrated from Kalavryta, Greece, in 1905 and enlisted in the United States Army in World War I. His father lost his right arm in the Battle of the Argonne Forest with the Pershing American Expeditionary Force. Anton's mother came from Soudena in Greece and helped at the candy store, where Anton worked as a young boy with his brothers, Harry and Nick, and his sister, Catherine.
Anton graduated from the High School of Industrial Arts and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in World War II. He served as a signalman on a destroyer escorting unarmed ships to England, and on a destroyer in the Pacific Theater. Upon his discharge, he was awarded an American Area Combat Ribbon with one star, and European and Asiatic and Pacific Combat Ribbons.
Returning to New York, he became an art director in advertising agencies including Ogilvy and Mather. He met and married Bertha Leventy, and the couple moved to their home in Tenafly, New Jersey, where they raised two daughters and son. Anton had a long career as an art director and in management for JC Penney in New York, where he designed the well-known company catalogs.
He was a founding member of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly, where he served on the first and second parish councils, attended regularly and contributed his artistic skill to its publicity pamphlets and brochures.
His interests included ice skating, the opera, swimming, nature walks, painting and art museums. He devoted his time to his family and children, to whom he gave his undivided love and encouragement. He attended most every Tenafly Board of Education meeting and wrote frequent letters to the local newspaper. He had a sense of humor and order. None of his children will ever forget his thoughtful driving directions. He is survived by his two daughters Rhea (Michael Yeager) and Stephanie (John Vlahakis) and son Ted (Maja Eaton), and his seven grandchildren, Cassidy and Hunter Yeager, Alexandra, Ian and Zachary Vlahakis, and Marja and Constantine Anton.
A memorial service is planned for 10 am on Jan. 15 at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian at 353 E. Clinton Ave. in Tenafly. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions in Anton's name to the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian.