Anthony (Tony) Puwal died on Monday evening August 6, 2012, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He was 94.
Tony was born on May 5, 1918 in Pittsburgh, Penn., to Frank and Josephine Puwal. He was the youngest of six children, three boys and three girls. He lost his mother when he was two years old and was raised by his older sisters, whom he shared a strong bond with until their deaths.
While growing up in Pennsylvania he worked extensively on the family farm and other farms. He also worked in the steel mills until he joined the Air Force in 1942. While in the Air Force he was an instrument and automatic pilot specialist. He traveled with the B34 Mobil Training Unit as an instructor. It was the first of its kind, in which the Air Force took functional mock-ups of the C-54 operating systems to the students all over the world instead of having them return to the United States for instruction. He traveled extensively throughout the United States, Greenland, United Kingdom, Europe, the Mideast, and Africa. He loved to share pictures and stories of his travels.
Tony moved to the Vineyard permanently in 1946 and married his wife, Betty Daggett, in 1948. Tony and Betty never had children of their own, but were devoted to all of their nieces and nephews. Holidays and births were always very special, with huge family gatherings. He worked mostly as a carpenter and caretaker.
He was predeceased by his brothers, Edward and Harry Puwal, his sisters, Theresa Heck, Gertrude and Martha Gazaille, his nephews Louis Heck, David and Donald Gazaille, and James Puwal.
He is survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Puwal, nephews Edward Puwal and his wife, June, and William Gazaille. His nieces, Yvonne Burnham and her husband, Robert, Madelaine Perry and her husband, Alfred, David Gazaille’s wife, Donna, Donald Gazaille’s wife, Mary, James Puwal’s wife, Stephanie, and many grand nieces and nephews.
Any memorial donations can be made to the American Red Cross, Edgartown Federated Church, or the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
There will be a graveside service on Saturday, October 13, at 10 am in the New Westside Cemetery, in Edgartown with military honors provided by the Veterans of Martha’s Vineyard. A memorial service will follow at the Federated Church on South Summer Street in Edgartown at 11 am.
Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Please visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and information.
