ATHENS, Ohio — On what would’ve been his 74th birthday, hundreds turned out to pay their respects and celebrate the life of Anthony “Tony” Sylvester, the namesake of an Athens institution, Tony’s Tavern.
Sylvester died April 2. His celebration of life took place at the Athens Armory this past Sunday, April 12, followed by a jazz funeral procession ending at Tony’s, at 7 W. State St.
For over 40 years, Tony’s has been more than a ‘townie’ bar — a dim-lit dive resplendent with graffiti, curious objects lining the tin ceiling and walls, as well as photos of workers and regulars.
Per his obituary, Sylvester originally came to Athens to manage a Ponderosa restaurant. He opened Tony’s in 1982, with the goal in mind of creating a bar he’d like to go to.
Folks came in from as far as Seattle, Washington, to honor Sylvester. The Armory hosted part of the celebration and by necessity became standing-room only, with the crowd spilling into its foyer. Attendees wore Tony’s merch from over the decades.
Connie Patterson, Mayor Steve Patterson’s wife, announced at Sylvester’s celebration of life that Athens Mayor Streve Patterson proclaimed April 12 “Tony Sylvester Day.” Connie Patterson also recounted how she and her husband met while working at Tony’s in the 2000s.
It was the first story of many told Sunday that illustrated the connections the tavern has long fostered.
Sylvester’s celebration of life was tearful, yet joyful — jokes were aplenty, and small scrolls featuring jokes and puns, which Sylvester was known for, were distributed to attendees. Stickers depicting Sylvester as the patron saint of Tony’s Tavern were circulated. Appropriately, St. Anthony (of Padua) is the patron saint of lost things, including people; the poor and oppressed; fishermen, travelers and more.
Sylvester’s family spoke of his character as a big brother, and as a car and golf lover. He was one of seven siblings.
“Being here was like being a brother to a celebrity, but I guess before now, I never realized the scope of his influence. And looking out today, I’m overwhelmed,” Dan Sylvester’s youngest brother, said.
“He touched people, whether in personal contact or through the unique and rare house that he built down at Tony’s Tavern, a place where no matter what, you were accepted — even loved — for who you were,” Dan Sylvester said. “Tony accepted everyone for and he never judged. He always came from a place of love and always had a sense of humor.”
Chandra LaPorte, general manager at Tony’s Tavern, said that Sylvester recruited her after she’d spent about a decade working other service jobs in the area. She described positions at Tony’s as “coveted” opportunities in town.
She connected with her husband at the bar, with whom she later had a son, she said.
“My co-workers became my bar family, and I discovered a community of regulars like no other,” LaPorte said. “This space that Tony created and the community formed here is so incredibly special.”
Over the past 30 years, “Tony has become so much more to me than a boss, he became family,” LaPorte said.
“LA Bob” Vazzano, one of the tavern’s original hires, spoke of working at Tony’s as a veteran. In the early 1980s, Vazzano said, veterans had a hard time getting jobs. But Sylvester welcomed a group of five vets and put them to work.
“Tony’s bar was a lot of things to a lot of different people,” Vazzano said. “There were three fellows that I knew that made it a religious experience. So when they would talk about after work, [about] maybe going up to St. Anthony’s.”
Sylvester’s son, Anthony, also gave remarks.
“For dad, people were never a hobby or a means to an end. People were the purpose, engaging with them, listening to them, making them laugh and helping them build steam. It wasn’t part of the job — it was it,” Anthony Sylvester said.
“Today, we remember dad, not just for the place he created, but for the philosophy he lived: that success is shared, that people matter more than outcomes, and that the truest measure of a life is the impact on the community and the people we leave behind,” Anthony Sylvester said. “We should all be so lucky to leave behind such positivity.”
Following the jazz funeral parade, music carried on into the bar his father founded. It was packed to the brim and overflowed out onto the street. There was also a toast to Sylvester’s memory and to the future of Tony’s Tavern.
In honor of Sylvester’s memory, donations can be made to the Tony Sylvester Family Fund at the Athens County Foundation, at PO Box 366, Athens, OH 45701.
“The Tony Sylvester Family Fund supports local nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping children and families,” Cheryl Greco Sylvester, Tony Sylvester’s wife, said in an email. “The fund honors Tony’s legacy by investing in programs that create opportunity, provide care, and strengthen the community for future generations.”
Disclosure: Keri Johnson is a regular at Tony’s and thinks 7 W. State St. is still Athens’ “best hillbilly bar.”
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Tony Sylvester’s brother Dan as David. We apologize for this error.
Note: This article was updated around 4 p.m. Thursday, April 16 to include additional information about the Tony Sylvester Family Fund.
