Anthony F. DeLorenzo

March 17, 1942 – September 24, 2026

Anthony Francis DeLorenzo (Tony), of San Clemente, California, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away on September 24, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was 84 years old.

Tony was born on March 17, 1942, in Newark, New Jersey, to Frank and Sadie DeLorenzo. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older sister, Felicia Polito. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Virginia (Ginni); his children, Hilary DeLorenzo, Anthony F. DeLorenzo Jr. (Julie), and Lauren Breithaupt (Paul); and his five grandchildren, Nico, Anthony III (Trey), Griffin, Eleanor, and Owen, who were among his greatest sources of joy and pride.

Tony grew up in Newark, New Jersey, and graduated from Barringer High School in 1960. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies from Seton Hall University in 1963, followed by a Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall Law School in 1966. During his college and law school years, he spent his summers working at the Jersey Shore, cruising around in his blue 1956 Chevy convertible, and earning the nickname “Tony of Belmar.”

In 1966, Tony began what would become a distinguished 31-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). After spending his first year in Louisville, Kentucky, he transferred to the Chicago Field Office in December 1967. It was in Chicago that he met Ginni in 1975, and the two were married in January 1979.

During his years in Chicago, Tony served on the fugitive, bank robbery, and organized crime squads. He also spent his final three years there as the office’s Media Coordinator. In 1984, Tony and Ginni transferred to the FBI’s San Diego office, where he initially worked on the white-collar crime squad before being promoted to supervise a multi-agency task force targeting street gangs. While assigned to the Chicago Division, he passed the Illinois bar examination, and in June 1991, he passed the California bar. In 1992, he was appointed Principal Legal Advisor for the FBI’s San Diego office.

Tony retired from the FBI in March 1997 and happily took on a new role as “Mr. Mom,” caring for his two younger children until Ginni retired from the FBI in 2002. He later worked as a government contractor conducting background investigations until 2015, when he retired completely to enjoy more time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

While Tony had an accomplished and fascinating career, it was his role as a husband, father, and grandfather that meant the most to him.

Tony was truly one of the kindest, most generous, and genuinely good people you could ever hope to know. He would do absolutely anything for anyone and never expect anything in return. Humble, unassuming, and incredibly easygoing, he never needed much to be happy. He had no interest in anything fancy or extravagant. Give him a good Western on television, something delicious to cook, and his family nearby, and he was perfectly content.

He loved his children deeply, was endlessly proud of them, and absolutely adored his grandchildren. Nothing made him happier than spending time with them, whether it was picking them up from school, cheering them on at their sporting events, cooking their favorite meals, or simply being together. He was the person everyone knew they could count on, the one who would drop whatever he was doing to help, no questions asked.

Tony had a wonderful sense of humor and an incredible ability to find something to laugh about, even when life got a little crazy. He always seemed to have a story for every occasion, and his entertaining FBI stories were legendary among family and friends. He was an amazing cook who loved preparing meals for the people he loved, and a talented woodworker who created many beautiful pieces over the years. He also seemed to own every tool ever invented and was always ready to put them to use building, repairing, or fixing something for a friend or family member.

The 1960s were always his favorite decade, especially when it came to music. He loved the songs of his younger years, a good Western, and the simple pleasures of everyday life. Tony and Ginni enjoyed traveling near and far, but no matter where their adventures took them, he was always eager to return home to his children and grandchildren, the true loves of his life.

Above all, Tony was a family man in every sense of the word. His love was steady, generous, and unconditional. He showed it not through grand gestures, but through the countless little things he did every day: the meals he cooked, the things he fixed, the advice he shared, the stories he told, and the way he was always there whenever someone needed him.

Tony leaves behind a beautiful legacy, not only in the family he loved so dearly, but in the friendships he built, the traditions he passed down, the laughter he brought to others, and the countless lives he touched through his kindness and generosity.

He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished by all who were fortunate enough to know and love him.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Tony’s memory to CDG Care or OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.