Daily Sitka Sentinel

Tony DelMoral

    A funeral Mass for Rafael Antonio “Tony” DelMoral will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at Centennial Hall, followed  by a sharing of memories.
    A reception will be held afterward at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church Corrigan Hall.
    Tony died Feb. 4, at age 50.
    He was born July 11, 1961, in Spokane, Wash., at Sacred Heart Hospital. His family moved frequently when he was a child, and he attended schools in Washington, Oregon and Nevada. He later attended Islands Community College in Sitka, and Seattle Pacific University.
    He came to Sitka in 1981, and on June 22, 1986, married Angela Iverson Rocheleau.
    Over the years he was a miner, fisherman, construction worker and store manager. He was a mechanic, systems administrator and project manager for Sitka Sound Seafoods and manager of Sitka Sound Oil and Alaskan Harvest between 1985 and 1993. He was project manager from 1993 to 1999 for  Tub’s Construction, where he helped create TCI Environmental. He purchased TCI in 1999.
    His interests included hunting, hiking, 4-wheeling, reading, working crosswords, watching sports, and spending time with family, friends and kids.
    He was a coach for J.O. Softball, Sitka High School C-team basketball and SHS softball, and was involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Gregory Catholic Church high school youth group, and the church’s parish council.
    Tony was “warm-hearted and full of life. He proceeded through life as if on a mission to create happiness and daily joy in the lives of others,” his family wrote. “His dedication to this goal was apparent through his involvement in the community, and supported by a strong, deep-rooted faith.”
    Known for his contagious smile, he “was a generous man who loved to give when no one was looking, and took on the job of guardian to anyone who seemed in need. He never missed an opportunity to offer advice or  guidance, and he especially never missed an opportunity to tell others how much he believed in them,” his family said.
    As a coach, Big Brother and active church member, motivation and encouragement were second nature to him.
    “His genuine love for kids and outrageous sense of humor made him an easy friend for all ages,” family said. “A true kid at heart himself, Tony often played practical jokes on family and friends, and found it hilarious to joke in public, sometimes even inappropriate, situations.
    “However, although he was a jokester, he was also a man of unshakable loyalty and love for others. He was the definition of a provider in every sense of the word, and enjoyed creating a strong sense of security and faith in those he loved.”
    Tony was preceded in death by his friend and father-in-law Larrae Rocheleau.
    He is survived by his wife, Angie DelMoral of Sitka; daughter Brit (Nick) Szymoniak and granddaughter Ruby Szymoniak of Anchorage; daughter Lindsay DelMoral and fiance Matt Pagni of Phoenix; siblings Rick (Debbie) DelMoral, Mario (Sandy) DelMoral and Elena DelMoral, all of Portland, Ore., Veronica (Bill) Howell of Coquille, Ore., Lea DelMoral and Sylvia DelMoral, San Diego Calif.; father Joe (Aree) DelMoral; and mother Barbara (Bill) Fawcett.
    His  brothers- and sisters-in-law are Susan Craig of Worden, Mont., Heidi (Kirk) Barnes of Vancouver, Wash., Tou (Phoua) Yang of Honolulu, Hawaii, Rick (Karla) Rocheleau of Hamilton, Mont., Raquel (Paul) Callahan of Roseburg, Ore., Karen (Rich) Krupa of Sitka, and Louis (Maggie) Rocheleau of Kodiak.
    Several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews also survive.
    Honorary pallbearers will be Nick Szymoniak, Matthew Pagni, Roger Hames Sr., Hal Spackman, Rich Krupa, Robert Suarez, Shawn Sorenson, Scott Stuart, Chris Combs, Rick DelMoral, Mario DelMoral, Louis Rocheleau, Rick Rocheleau, Tou Yang, Kirk Barnes, Paul Callahan and McKay Parsons.
    Memorial contributions may be made to Sitka High girls basketball team, SHS softball team, St. Gregory Catholic Youth Group, or Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sitka.