Obituary for Anthony "Tony" Connella
Mr. Anthony "Tony" Joseph Connella, age 64, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, December 3, 2023, in Alexandria at Rapides Regional Medical Center after battling injuries sustained from a vehicle accident.
The visitation for Tony will be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at Gallagher Funeral Home from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:30 a.m. The service will begin at 11:30 a.m. with Reverend Jake Dardar officiating. Interment will follow in Saint Rose Cemetery under the direction of Gallagher Funeral Home.
He was preceded in death by father, William E. Connella, Sr.; and brother, Billy Connella, Jr.
Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife, Helen Brimer Connella; step daughters, Emmarie Bordelon Mason (Adam) and Madison Bordelon; mother, Lena Connella; brother, John David Connella, Sr.; niece and nephew, Trish Connella Gunter (Brian), John David Connella, Jr. (Amity), Jay Ozzy Connella; great nieces and nephews; and many extended family and friends.
Tony graduated from ASH then attended LSUA, leading him to several career paths throughout his life. No matter the job, he was extremely passionate about the quality of his work. He excelled to become a senior aviation mechanic as well as a mechanic for the Marshall Service.
A natural entrepreneur from a young age, He founded CENLA Repair Service in 2001, specializing in carpentry and renovation. Tony put great effort into ensuring every customer was pleased with the outcome of their project to the fullest extent. Over the years, he had numerous loyal customers that were content to wait if he were busy.
Tony enjoyed passing along personal knowledge through mentorship and helping others gain skill sets that would positively improve their lives. He showed his love by serving others and performing acts of kindness. Integrity and loyalty were some of his strongest characteristics, earning the respect of many.
He was multifaceted in his gifts and knowledge which spanned in many different directions. He designed and sold jewelry. Spent many hours frequenting antique shops and flea markets searching for historical “gems” to add to his collections. He loved to repair and repurpose old items into something beautiful. Tony had a great talent and deep passion for restoring classic cars.
He loved the outdoors, appreciating God’s creations. He liked to fish and was an avid deer hunter. He was constantly planning and improving the acreage he lived on with his wife, Helen, whom he shared a wonderful and loving relationship for eleven precious years.
Tony had a soft heart for animals and dearly loved his dogs, Pup Pup, Lady, and Siggi, and his rescue cat, Kiki. He cherished his nieces and nephews and loved watching them grow and be part of their lives. His heart was naturally sentimental. He cherished family mementos, and earthly objects that reminded him of special memories and the people who touched and molded his life.
He collected inspirational quotes and encouraging Bible verses. He never hesitated to share his love of Christ and his personal testimony. How and why he was saved always amazed him. He would lend a hand to someone in need and encourage them in whatever way he could. As he looked back, Tony felt the Lord had blessed him so abundantly. His life was cut short, but he left a trail of blessings in its wake.
The family thanks the doctors, nurses, and staff at Rapides Regional Medical Center, ER, OR, and ICU who took such wonderful care of Tony and his family in his last days. He will be so greatly missed and has left a lasting impact on the lives of those who loved him.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Word of Grace Missionary Fund, Tunnel to Towers (T2T.org), and to Lifeshare Blood Centers.
Pallbearers honored to serve are Chris Duhon, Daron Babineaux, David Connella, Aaron Miller, Adam Mason
Dewayne Howard. Honorary Pallbearers are Jeff Ussery, Dr. Joe Screpetis, Woody Peck, and Aubrey Lacaze.
The visitation for Tony will be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at Gallagher Funeral Home from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:30 a.m. The service will begin at 11:30 a.m. with Reverend Jake Dardar officiating. Interment will follow in Saint Rose Cemetery under the direction of Gallagher Funeral Home.
He was preceded in death by father, William E. Connella, Sr.; and brother, Billy Connella, Jr.
Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife, Helen Brimer Connella; step daughters, Emmarie Bordelon Mason (Adam) and Madison Bordelon; mother, Lena Connella; brother, John David Connella, Sr.; niece and nephew, Trish Connella Gunter (Brian), John David Connella, Jr. (Amity), Jay Ozzy Connella; great nieces and nephews; and many extended family and friends.
Tony graduated from ASH then attended LSUA, leading him to several career paths throughout his life. No matter the job, he was extremely passionate about the quality of his work. He excelled to become a senior aviation mechanic as well as a mechanic for the Marshall Service.
A natural entrepreneur from a young age, He founded CENLA Repair Service in 2001, specializing in carpentry and renovation. Tony put great effort into ensuring every customer was pleased with the outcome of their project to the fullest extent. Over the years, he had numerous loyal customers that were content to wait if he were busy.
Tony enjoyed passing along personal knowledge through mentorship and helping others gain skill sets that would positively improve their lives. He showed his love by serving others and performing acts of kindness. Integrity and loyalty were some of his strongest characteristics, earning the respect of many.
He was multifaceted in his gifts and knowledge which spanned in many different directions. He designed and sold jewelry. Spent many hours frequenting antique shops and flea markets searching for historical “gems” to add to his collections. He loved to repair and repurpose old items into something beautiful. Tony had a great talent and deep passion for restoring classic cars.
He loved the outdoors, appreciating God’s creations. He liked to fish and was an avid deer hunter. He was constantly planning and improving the acreage he lived on with his wife, Helen, whom he shared a wonderful and loving relationship for eleven precious years.
Tony had a soft heart for animals and dearly loved his dogs, Pup Pup, Lady, and Siggi, and his rescue cat, Kiki. He cherished his nieces and nephews and loved watching them grow and be part of their lives. His heart was naturally sentimental. He cherished family mementos, and earthly objects that reminded him of special memories and the people who touched and molded his life.
He collected inspirational quotes and encouraging Bible verses. He never hesitated to share his love of Christ and his personal testimony. How and why he was saved always amazed him. He would lend a hand to someone in need and encourage them in whatever way he could. As he looked back, Tony felt the Lord had blessed him so abundantly. His life was cut short, but he left a trail of blessings in its wake.
The family thanks the doctors, nurses, and staff at Rapides Regional Medical Center, ER, OR, and ICU who took such wonderful care of Tony and his family in his last days. He will be so greatly missed and has left a lasting impact on the lives of those who loved him.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Word of Grace Missionary Fund, Tunnel to Towers (T2T.org), and to Lifeshare Blood Centers.
Pallbearers honored to serve are Chris Duhon, Daron Babineaux, David Connella, Aaron Miller, Adam Mason
Dewayne Howard. Honorary Pallbearers are Jeff Ussery, Dr. Joe Screpetis, Woody Peck, and Aubrey Lacaze.