Anthony Alfred Avellar

Anthony was born April 29, 1927 in Oakland, California to Antonio and Maria Avellar.  He attended parochial schools and was Student Body President at St. Elizabeth High School in Oakland, California.  He enlisted and served in the US Army during World War II, attended the University of California and graduated from the University of San Francisco.  Anthony met the love of his life Jacqueline Marie Tomney, who he married on February 20, 1954 in Orange, California.

Anthony began work with Pan American Airways in 1950 and retired as a Director of Labor Relations in 1983.  After retiring from Pan American, Anthony and Jacqueline bought Pegasus Leather, a boutique retail shop in Sausalito, California in which they were partners with their daughter Mary Avellar Eaton.  In 1996 the Avellars sold Pegasus Leather and moved to Winters, California.   They established a 20 acre almond ranch named the Catherine Orchard and the company MyAlmondTree.com, an on-line internet tree adoption program that flourished.  In 2013, they settled in Sonoma, California.

Anthony loved to travel, especially to Japan and Hawaii.  He was a talented craftsman, who enjoyed woodworking and building.  He also enjoyed spending time outdoors, playing tennis, snow skiing and sailing on the San Francisco Bay. Most of all, his favorite thing was to be with family.

Anthony precedes in death his wife of 63 years Jacqueline, his seven children and their spouses: Mary Avellar Eaton and Timothy Eaton, Theresa and Martin Mariani, Thomas Avellar, Sarah and Robert Mathias, Anthony Avellar and Andy Gregory, Margaret Avellar, and Shelly and Andrew Avellar; his fifteen grandchildren and their spouses Lia and Andrew Mariani, Adam Mariani, Kelly Mariani, Amanda Eaton, Alex Eaton, Christine and Jaime Franco, Haileigh and John Avellar, Amy Avellar, Megan Avellar, Sage Biale, Nicolas Biale, Natalie Avellar, Grace Avellar, Clare Mathias, and Catherine Mathias; and one great grandchild, Una Lou Mariani.

Anthony died peacefully at home on August 17, 2017 in Sonoma, California surrounded by his family.  A celebration of life mass will be held on Thursday, August 24, at 12 noon, at Saint Francis de Solano Roman Catholic Church, 469 3rd Street West, Sonoma, California.    In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California www.alz.org.

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