Anthony Cucolo Jr.

Anthony Angelo Cucolo, Jr. August 8, 1924 - December 24, 2016 Tony Cucolo -- soldier, husband, father, builder, mentor, and loyal friend to many -- left this life peacefully at his home on Christmas Eve. His wife Claire and his daughter Christine were present with him when he passed. Tony was born in Waterbury, Connecticut and grew up in the Hudson Valley of New York during the Great Depression. One of four children of Italian immigrant parents who entered the United States through Ellis Island in the early 1900's, Tony's family lived the American Dream: working hard, overcoming challenges, and building a private construction company that found success by the early 1940s. So thankful was Tony's father for the opportunity America presented him and his family, he directed that his two sons join the US Army at the outbreak of World War II. Tony followed his brother Belmonte P. "Bill" Cucolo into the United States Military Academy at West Point, with Bill graduating in January 1943, and Tony graduating in 1946 as an Infantry Officer. Tony remained in the US Army after the war, and married the love of his life, Florence Claire Muller of Monsey, New York, in 1947. It was a marriage that would last more than 69 years. The young couple's first Army posting together was to Trieste, Northern Italy. Stationed in picturesque Duino Castle, the couple's first two children, daughters Christine and Juliann, were born there in a US Army Hospital. More assignments followed back in the United States, but Tony once again was shipped overseas for combat duty at the outbreak of the Korean War. He served in several units during that conflict, among them the 65th Infantry Regiment, the "Borinqueneers," of the famed 3rd Infantry Division. Tony left the service and settled his young family in Suffern, New York in 1954. He joined his father and his brother Bill in the family's construction company, West Shore Concrete, just in time to participate in the construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge in the mid-1950's. More construction work, a masters in Civil Engineering from Columbia University, and the arrival of the couple's third child followed before Tony joined the international construction services company, Turner Construction, in 1959. Tony's career with Turner would span almost 30 years and saw his rise from an assistant project superintendent, to Vice President for Personnel to Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Southwest Region in Houston. Tony led the renovation of La Guardia Airport and the building or major renovation of some of the tallest and most unique buildings in Manhattan while working in New York. As chief of personnel for the entire corporation at the corporate headquarters there, Tony completely redesigned the Turner personnel system and personally recruited hundreds of talented young men and women from the nation's leading engineering schools. Known as a great judge of character, he mentored, coached and raised several generations of construction engineers and executives who have achieved global success. Arriving in Houston in 1980, Tony led Turner's numerous construction projects for Texas and its four contiguous states. The number of projects in the region grew in size, complexity and diversity under his aggressive leadership. Just a look at the skyline of Houston shows his impact: Chase Tower, Wells Fargo Plaza, and Bank of America Center - and others -- were completed under his leadership. Upon retirement from Turner, Tony spent more than a decade serving as an arbitrator and consultant. He was frequently engaged as a respected arbiter and unquestioned expert witness for difficult and contentious construction cases. Concurrently, he applied his knowledge and leadership experience in a long-term consulting relationship with Fish Construction. Tony was a caring husband and father, an avid tennis player and golfer, and a rabid Army football fan. While the family was living in New York, a mere 30 miles south of West Point, Claire and Tony would host legendary tailgate parties for every Army home football game. The couple maintained a close circle of friends in Rockland County and served their community primarily through the Catholic Church, contributing a great deal of volunteer time and numerous resources to the Sacred Heart Parish of Suffern, NY. Claire and Tony quickly felt right at home in their adopted city of Houston. While work thrust Tony immediately onto the business scene, the West Point Society of Greater Houston, tennis, golf and social events at Lakeside Country Club, and numerous other activities allowed them to establish a new circle of friends whom they cherished dearly. Tony was most active at Lakeside Country Club and in his later years deeply appreciated the warmth and courtesy he found there. His departure leaves fond memories, gratitude, and admiration for a life well-lived. Tony is survived by his wife, Claire, his daughters Christine Piazza and Juliann Jacobson, his son Tony Cucolo, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. A memorial mass will be held at Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 10688 Shadow Wood Drive, Houston, at 10 am on Saturday, January 14th. A reception will follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers or other tributes, the Cucolo Family requests you make a donation to the Folded Flag Foundation, a non-profit organization that awards 100% of your donation amount to educational grants and scholarships for family members of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and other US Government employees killed in hostile action while deployed to combat. (Go to https://support.foldedflagfoundation.org/default.aspx?tsid=6359 and check "Tribute")