Mar 16, 2011 2 min read

Anthony “Tony” Cavalcante, Jr. passed away March 11, 2011 at Hospice of Lancaster County in Mount Joy, PA.

He was born in Uniontown, PA on June 24, 1926 to Anthony Cavalcante, Sr. of Uniontown, PA and the former Emma Salome Diehl of Carlisle, PA.

The son of a US Congressman, Pennsylvania State Senator and Fayette County Commissioner, Tony graduated in the West Point Class of 1949 as a Chemical Engineering major. Forever a soldier, “Duty, Honor, Country” was his method and motto in life. Tony left the Army as a Captain in 1955 after serving in Korea and recapturing the Koje-Do Internment Camp from the Chinese and the North Korean prisoners of war. Tony and 49 other West Point graduates were hired by, and reported directly to, Admiral Rickover at Bettis Atomic Power in Dravosburg, PA, outside of Pittsburgh, where he was on the engineering team that built the atomic powered USS Seawolf (SSN575). Also during this time period, he was an active proponent of the Custer Channel Wing STOL aircraft for military use. After serving as the Pittsburgh area representative in the 1964 Republican Presidential campaign, Tony joined and devoted many years to the John Birch Society as a National Representative from 1968 to his retirement. In retired life, Tony kept active publishing a weekly electronic newsletter of political commentary. He also was a prolific abstract artist following in the style of Piet Mondrian.

While living in McKeesport Pennsylvania, he married and fathered five children with Mitzie LaVerne Wunderly.

The surviving children in order are: Debra Ann McDonald of Lititz, PA, Jennifer Sue Weachter of Lancaster, PA, Jeffrey Lee Cavalcante of Louisville, KY, Anthony Cavalcante III of Atlanta, GA, and Cari Jo Cavalcante of Overland Park, KS. In addition to his children, his former wife Mitzie, a sister Cynthia Salome McClymonds of Fayetteville, AR, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren survive him.

Tony Jr. will be laid to rest with full Military Honors at INDIANTOWN GAP NATIONAL CEMETERY today, March 16, 2011.

There will be no viewing.

Final commendation and farewell will be private.

Kindly omit flowers, please thank a veteran instead.

SPACHT FUNERAL HOME, Lititz is entrusted with handling the arrangements.

To share your fondest memory of Anthony visit www.lifecelebration.com