Anthony Papa Obituary

Anthony “Tony” Joseph Papa, 80, passed away at his home in Sagle, Idaho on Saturday December 16, 2023. Private family services have already been held.

Tony was born on June 4, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York to Antonio and Catherine Papa. At the age of 16 he moved with his parents and his sister, Nancy, to Montclair California. While attending class at Montclair High School in 1959, Tony met Olivia Garcia, his high school sweetheart. His family moved to Claremont where he graduated from Claremont High in 1961. The couple were married in 1963 and would spend the next 60 years together. Tony’s father owned a barber shop and after high school Tony attended barber school and would spend the next 11 years working alongside his father. As a barber he would also cut hair in the La County Detention Camps. In 1964 Tony and Olivia welcomed their first child, a son Damon, then a daughter, Lisa in 1967 and their daughter Tonya in 1969. In July of 1971 Tony started a new career with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department where he would continue to serve for the next 30 years. After his retirement, he and Olivia moved to Temecula California Wine Country where they built a new home and would spend the next 18 years planting vineyards and growing wine grapes that they would sell to the local wineries. In 2018 the couple moved to Sandpoint, ID to be closer to family.

One of Tony’s favorite hobbies was going to the horse races and later playing the horses on-line. No surprise he liked horse racing so much, when he was young he trained to be a jockey. After being thrown 3-4 times he decided he didn’t want to do this anymore and instead joined the LA Country Sheriffs Department in 1971. He Worked the City Of Industry Station beginning in 1975 before transferring to the Vice Bureau in 1983. He remained in Vice until 1990 when he joined the Major Crimes unit of the Sheriffs Department where his knowledge of horse racing and gambling became part of his position. He also enjoyed fishing but most of all he loved his family, especially his grandchildren. Tony loved singing old songs from the 60’s, 70’ and 80’s. The music took him back to the good old days of dancing with his wife in their living room. He and Olivia were members of the Calvary Church in Temecula and later Cedar Hills Church in Ponderay Idaho.

Tony is survived by his wife Olivia, son Damon Papa, daughters Lisa (Eddie) Ortega and Tonya (Steve) Valvo, grandchildren Little Eddie (Dorian), Jordan (Ben), Allie, Taylor (Reed) and Gina (Jesse), and great grandchildren Addison, Liberty, Landon, Ellie Jay, Alessia and Natalia. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Nancy.

https://www.lakeviewfuneral.com/obituaries/Anthony-Joseph-Papa?obId=30206726