Tony Bastone

TONY BASTONE Anthony Dan Bastone, 72, founder of Columbia McDonalds and resident of Hidden Lake Circle, died Tuesday, August 27, 2002, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2:00 P.M. at St. Catherine Catholic Church with Father Patrick Conner and Rev. Arch Warren officiating. Burial will be in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Thursday after 3:00 P.M. concluding with a Rosary Service at 8:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home and Friday from 12:00 - 1:30 P.M. at the church. Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, or Columbia State Community College Foundation. Mr. B, as he was affectionately called by both employees and customers, was born in Bronx, New York, the son of the late John Bastone and Rose Marchutti Bastone. He served in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. In 1957 he graduated from New York University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. From 1957 to 1974, Tony worked for General Foods Corporation. In November 1974, he launched his career in the restaurant business by opening the first McDonalds in Columbia. Prior to retiring in 1994, Mr. B was actively involved in community activities, especially youth oriented programs both academic and extracurricular. The McRead Program designed to improve reading and comprehension skills enrolled as many as two thousand Chapter I students each year. Incentives were also provided for improved grades, perfect attendance, National Children's Book Week, fire prevention programs and safety awareness. McDonalds sponsored teams including Pop Warner football, baseball, soccer, bowling, girls' softball, and various church activities. Awards recognizing his leadership and contributions were numerous. In 1988, Tony became the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from Columbia State Community College. In 1990, he received a Special Recognition Award from the Maury County Chamber of Commerce for ".making a difference in Maury County". In 1993, the Tennessee Education Association presented him the E. Harper Johnson Human Relations Award for a layperson for outstanding leadership and achievements towards education, for which he had been nominated by the Maury County Education Association. He was a member of the Columbia Rotary Club and most recent recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award. He was a communicant of St. Catherine Catholic Church. Survivors include his wife of forty-five years, Caroline Rose Santangelo Bastone of Columbia; four children, Rosanne Bastone, Anthony John (Kimberlie) Bastone, Ginamarie (Tony) Wolfe, all of Columbia; and Laureen (David) Bingham of Cincinnati, Ohio; one brother, Frank Bastone of New York, New York, one sister, Teresa Sassano of Davies, Florida; and ten grandchildren, Caroline Wolfe, Anthony Wolfe, Catherine Wolfe, Anna Grace Wolfe, Abigail Wolfe, Olivia Wolfe, Kazlyn Bastone, Zoe Bastone, Chloe Bastone, and Rosemarie Bingham. Pallbearers will be Mike Prince, Ashley Brown, Jim Swindle, Richard Baggett, Dr. Paul Sands, Dr. B. I. Naddy, Steve Konz, and Bernard Wolfe. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. James Richardson, Dr. Ben Gardner, Dr. John Maloof, Dr. Amit Choksi, Dr. Charles Wendt, Dr. John Worthman, Dr. William Malone, and Harold Ledbetter. DIRECTIONS FROM NASHVILLE TO OAKES & NICHOLS FUNERAL HOMEFrom Interstate 65 South, get off at Exit 53, Saturn ParkwayTake the last exit off the Parkway before entering the Saturn plant, which is Highway 31 Follow the signs for 31 South to ColumbiaYou will travel 6 or 7 miles before you begin to see traffic lights.Once you start seeing traffic lights, go to the tenth traffic light.Bank of America should be on your right hand cornerTurn right at the Bank on West 7th Street. The funeral home is about 2 é block s on the right. Address 320 West Seventh StreetDIRECTIONS FROM OAKES & NICHOLS FUNERAL HOME TO ST. CATHERINE CHURCHTurn right out of front entrance to funeral home on West Seventh StreetAt the top of the hill and fork in road, bear left on Hwy 43 Continue on Hwy 43 thru big intersection at Hospital and continue thru bridge construction and pass Maury County Shopping Center.The next traffic will be Cayce Lane -Turn right Church is appx é mile on left.