Richard "Tony" Alan Toninato

Richard “Tony” Toninato, 78, passed away on July 9, 2017 after a long battle with blood cancer.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Slim’s Bar & Grill at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 30, 2017. Arrangements were entrusted to the Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Bemidji.

Tony was born on May 19, 1939 in International Falls, MN to Onesimo and Angeline Toninato, along with his twin brother, Robert. Tony went to St. Thomas Catholic School and graduated from International Falls High School in 1957. After graduating he worked for Mando Paper Company for one year then enlisted in the US Air Force for four years. Tony moved to Bemidji in 1963 working for Metropolitan Life Insurance. He worked brief stints with Sears and Keebler Company before joining Beltrami Electric in 1969 as a work order clerk. He worked at Beltrami Electric for 35 and a half years, retiring in June of 2002 as manager of finance and administration. Tony enjoyed his many years of participation in Bemidji Tennis Club, curling on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and golfing with his many friends in the Monday/Wednesday/Friday league at the Bemidji Town and Country Club. He also enjoyed his many fishing trips to Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul with his fishing buddies. Above all else, his favorite thing to do was watch his grandchildren participate in their extra-curricular activities, especially the sports of soccer, golf and hockey.

He is survived by his children, Sage (Brian) Stefanich of Bemidji and James (Colleen Anderson) Toninato of Duluth; five grandchildren, Brittany (Eric) Carlson of Bemidji, Alyssa (Tyler) Hobbs of Missoula, MT and Hailey (Casey) Reierson of Bemidji, Dominic Toninato and Mia Toninato of Duluth and seven great-grandchildren; brothers, Leo (Mary Kay) Toninato of St. Paul and Robert (Shelly) Toninato of International Falls.

Online guestbook at www.OlsonSchwartzFuneralHome.com

Memorials are preferred to the Sanford Joe Lueken Cancer Center.

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