Anthony Agostinelli

With hearts full of love, pride and gratitude, we remember our beloved father, Anthony J. Agostinelli of Portsmouth, Rhode Island-an extraordinary man whose curiosity, creativity, and compassion touched so many lives.

Tony wore many hats throughout his long and inspiring life-author, jazz historian, musician, professor, public servant, television producer, social worker, and Air Force veteran-but to us, he was always just "Dad," the warm, brilliant, humble man who taught us the value of passion, service and lifelong learning.

Dad's love for jazz was unmatched. He was a respected authority on the music of Stan Kenton, Don Ellis, Woody Herman and many others, and his scholarly contributions to the jazz community spanned decades. He published countless articles as well as a discography of the Newport Jazz Festival. He hosted radio programs, produced the long-running "Jazz Bash" public cable television series and lectured all over the world. To him, jazz wasn't just music-it was a language of life and emotions and he spoke it fluently. As a musician, he brought joy to audiences from Rhode Island to Okinawa, playing trumpet, accordion, baritone horn and percussion. He performed with numerous bands and orchestras. He often told us stories about his early radio performances in the 1940s and cherished his time with The NuTones, where his love for swing blossomed.

But Dad's talents extended far beyond the stage. He served his country as an officer in the United States Air Force and continued as a reservist for years. He was a licensed clinical social worker, a tireless advocate for economic opportunity and a leader in social justice, working in state government, non-profits, and the Church. His professional journey was rooted in service, driven by a deep desire to improve lives and build communities.

As a teacher-whether in classrooms at Roger Williams University, in public lectures, or as part of Salve Regina's Circle of Scholars-Dad challenged his students to think critically, act ethically, and appreciate beauty in all its forms. Teaching brought him immense joy and he continued to inspire others well into his later years.

Dad was also a devoted Catholic and a man of quiet faith. He served as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at the parishes he belonged to across his life. He was professed in faith as an Oblate of the Benedictine Monks at Portsmouth Abbey.

He was a writer, photographer, gardener, cook and novelist, publishing his first book on wine tasting titled the Wrath of Grapes during the 1970's. And then in his 80's published his first mystery novel, The Professor Was Dead.

He did all of this with an unwavering love and devotion to our mother, his bedrock Barbara, his wife of 52 years. Their marriage was a model of partnership and affection. Since her passing in 2016, not a day went by that he didn't speak her name.

Tony and Barbara were renowned for their hospitality and entertaining. Saturdays they hosted countless homemade pizza parties in the fall and winter months. In the spring and summer, they would coax many onto their beloved porch for hors d'oeuvres and wine. They mentored many young people together, as they taught catechism and confirmation classes for their parish in Providence.

Together, they raised four children-Maria (deceased, 2022), Katherine, Mark, and Matthew-and welcomed their wonderful spouses, Denis, Francis, Debra and Carmen, into our family. Dad delighted in being a grandfather to Francesca, Cecilia, Mason, William and Niko. He was enchanted by his great-granddaughters, Sophia and Aurora.

To the world, Tony was a man of many achievements. He was "everybody's Papa". He loved a good "clean" joke, made an incredible tomato sauce and entertained us with an endless source of stories and music. To us, he was our anchor, our storyteller, role model and our hero. We will miss his sense of humor, boundless intellect and his unshakable belief in the goodness of people.

We love you, Dad. Thank you for the music, the lessons, the love and the legacy. Your light will never dim in our hearts.