Obituary of Anthony H. Dragoni, Jr.
Anthony H. Dragoni, Jr, age 81, passed away on Monday, March 6, 2023, at his home in Warren, surrounded by his family. He was born and raised in New York City. Anthony resided in Detroit during college, then moved to New Mexico in his 20s, before settling in Warren in 1973.
Anthony received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Detroit and continued to earn a master’s degree from the University of New Mexico.
Anthony proudly served in the United States Army during the Vietnam Era and was stationed at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, where he worked on advanced missile navigation systems.
After serving in the armed forces, Anthony began working for Bell Laboratories in Whippany and Piscataway as an engineer. He was instrumental in the development of the guidance systems used in sprint rockets. Anthony retired after thirty years in 1996.
He was a long-time communicant of Our Lady of the Mount Roman Catholic Church in Warren and was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council.
Anthony was an avid reader who enjoyed reading Tom Clancy Novels and non-fiction. Anthony also liked hiking and being outdoors. He enjoyed traveling; one trip that stands out was a three-month tour of the United States that he and his wife made shortly after their retirement from Bell Labs. In his spare time, Anthony enjoyed golfing and was an excellent woodworker.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Joyce (Vannucci) Dragoni; two daughters, Lisa Dragoni, and Denise Coates; and her husband, John; four grandchildren: Maddie and Jack Cohen; and Cameron and Elsa Coates.
A memorial gathering will be held on Friday, March 10, 2023, from 4 to 7 pm at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Boulevard in Watchung. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Our Lady of the Mount Chapel in Warren at 11 am.
Memorial donations may be made in his loving memory to the MPN Research Foundation, which supports research for Polycythemia Vera, a rare blood cancer.
