Obituary of ANTHONY TIGER

ANTHONY L.(TONY) TIGER PASSED FROM THIS LIFE TO THE ARMS OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER TUESDAY OCTOBER 18TH, 2011 AT CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS OF AMERICA. TONY HAD RECENTLY MOVED BACK TO SAPULPA TO BE NEAR HIS FAMILY AND FIGHT THIS DISEASE AND FIGHT HE DID, TILL THE VERY END. HE NEVER LOST HOPE AND DETERMINATION AND WAS AS BRAVE AS ANY SOLDIER GOING INTO BATTLE. HE PASSED FROM THIS LIFE SURROUNDED BY HIS LOVING FAMILY. TONY WAS BORN IN SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA ATTENDED SAPULPA SCHOOLS AND PLAYED FOOTBALL FOR THE SAPULPA CHIEFTIANS. HE NEVER LOST HIS LOVE OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BALL. HE WAS AN AVID FAN OF OU AND SUPPORTED THEM EVERY WHERE THEY PLAYED. HE WAS ALSO A BIG FAN OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS. HE LIVED IN FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA MOST OF HIS ADULT LIFE AND HAD A HUGE SECOND FAMILY THERE WHO LOVED HIM AND TREATED HIM AS THEIR OWN. TONY WAS A BOILERMAKER BY TRADE AND LOVED HIS JOB; HE WAS A FIELD SUPERINTENDENT FOR ENERFAB IN CINCINNATI, OHIO. HE TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY IN HIS LINE OF WORK, BUILDING CONTAINERS TO STORE NEARLY EVERYTHING A CONSUMER USES. HE WAS METICULUS IN MAKING SURE HIS END PRODUCT WAS THE BEST IT COULD BE AND THAT HIS CREW WAS ALWAYS SAFE GETTING THE JOB DONE, HIS CREW WERE HIS "BROTHERS". WHEN ASKED WHY HE CHOSE HIS LINE OF WORK HE ALWAYS SAID "MY DADDY STARTED ME OUT MOWING LAWNS FOR WALTER E. BROWN AND CO. (THE ORIGINAL WEBCO)" HE SAW THE SUCCESS OF HIS UNCLES WHO WERE ALSO BOILERMAKERS (UNION WELDERS) AND HIS DADDY WHO MADE SURE THE STEEL GOT TO THE JOBS AND DECIDED THAT WAS WHAT HE WANTED FOR HIMSELF. WHEN HE SET HIS MIND ON SOMETHING HE GAVE IT HIS ALL. TONY WAS A WELL RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF UNION BOILERMAKERS. WHILE LIVING IN FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROINA HE MADE MANY, MANY FRIENDS, ALL OF YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU MEANT TO HIM, BUT WE MUST MENTION ESPECIALLY GEORGE RAINES, WAYNE RAINES, AND HIS LOVING FRIEND LYNN SMITH, WHO SAT WITH TONY AND LISTENED TO HIM AND CARED FOR HIM IN HIS TIME OF NEED. SHE WAS WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY UNTIL THE VERY END AND HER CARE COMFORTED HIM GREATLY. TONY WAS ABLE TO REST AND CONCENTRATE ON HEALING BECAUSE OF A SPECIAL FRIEND HERE, MARK MCCULLOUGH. MARK KNEW TONY JUST A SHORT TIME BUT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN LEADING HIM TO HIS SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. HE KNEW TONY DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE ANY BUSINESS UNDONE AND TOOK CARE OF IT FOR HIM SO HE WOULD NOT WORRY. THROUGH THAT FRIENDSHIP, MARK ARRANGED A VISIT WITH DOYLE PRYOR, ELMER AND ROBBIE NEEL, AND MIKE SHAW. TONY FINALLY KNEW HIS SAVIOR AND WAS AT PEACE WITH WHATEVER THE OUTCOME OF HIS ILLNESS WAS. A COUNCELOR AT CTCA ASKED HIM TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE BEST DAY HE COULD IMAGINE WOULD BE LIKE AND HE THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT AND SAID "MOM, WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE "? I REMINDED HIM THAT HE ONCE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE, CLIMBING ON MY HARLEY, RIDING DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE WIND BREEZE ON MY HEAD, AND THE SUN ON MY FACE. HE WANTED TO KNOW HOW I COULD REMBEMBER HIM SAYING THAT AND I TOLD HIM YOU JUST HOLD ONTO WHAT SOMEONE SAYS WOULD BE THEIR FINEST DAY. TONY WAS PRECEEDED IN DEATH BY HIS GRANDPARENTS: WESLEY AND REBA FORD, CHET HOUSLEY AND PAULINE HOUSLEY, A SISTER, ALLISON M.(SHELLEY) TIGER KING, WHO PASSED AT THE SAME AGE OF 46 YEARS; ONE UNCLE C.C. HOUSLEY JR. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS PARENTS, DONALD AND SANDRA HOUSLEY OF SAPULPA; SISTERS, REBA JOLENE WENZEL, KELLYVILLE. DONETT LAY SAPULPA, BARBRA NUTTLE, OKMULGEE; BROTHERS, MIKE HOUSLEY AND DON W HOUSLEY, BOTH OF TULSA AND KEVIN HOUSLEY OF BRISTOW; A HOST AUNTS, UNCLES, NEICES, NEPHEWS, AND MANY COUSINS, ONE OF WHOM SPENT MANY HOURS IN THE HOSPITAL WATCHING FOOTBALL WITH TONY, LEAH HOUSLEY. LEAH WAS THERE AT HIS SIDE WHEN HE PASSED AND WAS A GREAT COMFORT TO HIM AS WAS HER MOTHER BRENDA. TO HIS MANY FRIENDS HE WOULD SAY, CLIMB ON YOUR BIKES, RIDE WITH THE WIND WITH THE SUN ON YOUR FACE, KICK BACK AND COMMUNE WITH HIM HE WILL BE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU IN SPIRIT. HE IS HEALED, NO LONGER WEAK BUT STRONG AND AT PEACE WITH GOD. GOD NEEDED ANOTHER ANGLE SO HE TOOK OURS BUT I AM SURE TONY WILL HAVE A SPECIAL JOB TO DO THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT.