Tony Joseph Chelewski passed away opn Wednesday, November 22, 2023 in his sleep after a long struggle with cancer.
Tony was a husband, father, step-father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend to many.
Tony accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior on September 4, 2009 and is in heaven rejoicing with his Savior and Lord, God the Father, and family and friends.
Tony was born in Ajo, Arizona on July 29, 1940, a hot summer day, to Anton Joseph Chelewski and Josephine Mary McClendon Chelewski. The little family moved to Salt Lake City when Tony was 3 years old. This move enabled his dad to be trained as a welder for service in the Navy during World War II. The Navy moved the family to Whidbey Island, Washington; San Diego, California; and Brunswick, Georgia. In school, Tony played football, baseball, wrestled, and shotput. While his dad was away, the family often returned to the ranch in Casper, Wyoming where his grandfather was the foreman and his grandmother was the cook for the cowboys. The ranch was owned by the Wyoming governor.
Tony joined the Navy at the age of 17 after High School graduation on a “Kiddie Cruise” out of San Diego. He spent the next 3 ½ years on the Aircraft Carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt, mostly in the Mediterranean. On the carrier he received electronic training and flew off the carrier to repair possible problems on those planes.
Tony left the Navy at 20 years of age and was married. The marriage resulted in the birth of his son, Tony II. When the marriage failed, he returned to San Diego and raised his son and step-daughter Sabrina. He worked for General Dynamics for 2 years before being laid off as a technical writer.
After that, Tony went to work for IBM for a career on 38 years, mostly stationed in San Diego and Page, Arizona. His work area was the Navajo and Hopi Reservations, and the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon. He usually traveled 600+ miles a week in his 1975 International Red (Rusty) Scout.
In 1979, Tony and his second wife and children moved to New Paria, Utah. They began construction on their log home in 1983. In 1994, his second marriage failed and he retired from IBM with 25 years of service. IBM hired him back the next day as a “Part time” employee (40+ hours a week) for the next 13 years.
In September on 1995, he met and married Barbara Anne Wipff, and was married to her for the next 28+ years until the time of his death.
This couple traveled many miles visiting family and friends, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park, most often in their Gold 1979 Scout and 1962 Airstream Trailer. They hunted at Birch Creek every fall with friends, as well as many other places. Tony built and worked on rifles and pistols for many dear friends.
Tony served on the Kane County Water Conservancy for 28 years as Chairman, Kane County Planning and Zoning, mostly as Chairman, for 10 years, and as a member of the County Resource Committee.
Tony leaves behind his wife, Barbara Anne, son Tony Joseph II, brother Robert Chelewski (Linda), sister Billie Jean Liedahl and her son Glenn, as well as a stepchild Sabrina, and two stepchildren Doug Wayman (Alyson) and Lisa Lyons (Michael), one granddaughter Kalyn Gillion, two great-grandsons Tristan and Aidan Gillion, as well as three step-grandsons Zachry, Tyler, and Seth Lyons.
A celebration of life will be held in the Spring for family and friends. Per his request, his body has been cremated and the ashes spread on the Chelewski property at New Paria.
Arrangements were made with Mosdell Mortuary of Kanab.