Anthony (Tony) Cuellar

Anthony (Tony) Cuellar died Aug. 28. He was 95.

Cuellar was born in 1924 in Winters to Josephine Cuellar and John Ramirez. He was raised at Sky High, the family ranch, and attended Winters High.

An excellent cartoonist, he was offered a job at Walt Disney, but instead joined the Navy to fight in World War II. He served aboard several destroyers including the USS Gridley and Prichett. He achieved the rank of chief boatswain's mate and was a recipient of the Purple Heart in 1951.

He left the Navy and became an estimator in the Bay Area. He met the love of his life, Carole Lou; they were happily married 48 years, until her death in 2011. Together they started the C.L. Harlow Plumbing Company. In 1977 he gave up plumbing and became a mechanical inspector at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for the remainder of his career. After retiring, he and Carole moved to Spring Hill, Florida to be closer to his children.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Carole Lou; sister, Carmen Cory; and son, Allen Richard (Butch). He is survived by his daughter, Toni Ann Wheeler, and son, Anthony Jr., six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.

He did not want a service or donations made in his honor, instead preferring a glass raised in his memory by those who knew him.