Anton (Tony) Schmaltz
February 3, 1933 ~April 28, 2017
Tony was born on February 3, 1933 in Mendham, Saskatchewan and died on April 28, 2017 in Creston, B.C.
Tony grew up and came from a farming family from South Saskatchewan and farmed right up until he left for school at Kelsey Institute in Saskatoon to become a mechanic. Tony soon realized that he wanted something else and in 1955 started his career with the post office in Swift Current, Saskatchewan as a postal clerk.
He then met his future wife Marie on a blind date in February of 1960 in Swift Current and they started their life together.
Tony was skilled at all he did and started building their first house in 1961 before the arrival of their first son Michael in May 1961. Their second son David arrived in August of 1963.
Tony then moved up the ranks within the post office, moving to Weyburn in 1965 to assume the role of Assistant Post Master and then uprooted his family in 1967 to move to Golden, B.C. to take on the role of Postmaster. Their daughter Lisa was born in Golden in April1970. Tony was then offered a role with Post Office Security and Investigations and moved his family to Vancouver, B.C. for his training and in 1973 he went back to the prairies where he assumed the position of Inspector in Charge of Saskatchewan until he retired in 1986.
He and Marie then retired to the community of Creston in 1988 which they had admired increasingly as they drove through the community on family vacations from Saskatchewan to Kootenay Lake every year.
In 1988 Tony started his own sprinkler company to keep busy and successfully did this until 2003 when he fully retired.
Tony spent his time hunting and fishing as a young man with his brothers-in-law, brother and father in the prairies and then as much time fishing when he had a young family in Golden, B.C. There were many times Tony took his family in the family vehicle, where no well-serviced 4x4 would venture, but the old Chrysler and Tony always got them there and home safely. Tony loved to fish and could sit in the aluminum boat for hours in the blazing sun. "Sunstroke" became a common word, and malady, for his sons.
Tony loved to curl and it was his passion in winter. Tony was always at the curling rink and curled avidly until he no longer could at which time he became a regular spectator cheering on his friends.
He loved holidaying and travelling with his friends and family and while in Creston was active in square dancing, bridge, cards of any kind, and trips to the various casinos.
Tony is predeceased by his father Roy; his mother Mary and his older brother Roy.
Tony is survived by his wife of 56 years (Marie) and his children Michael (Maggie), David and Lisa. Gpa will be sorely missed by his grandchildren Barry, Lindsay, Danny, Sheena and Jaden who loved and respected him; two great-grandchildren, Masyn and Jaxon, that he got to meet and spend time with; his sisters Betty (Murray) Sweetman, and Marjorie (Bill) Jones; brothers-in-law Ken (Rose) and Dan (Wendy) Lucas; and Joyce Slattery. Tony had numerous nieces and nephews that will truly miss Uncle Tony. Special friends Adrienne and Khris were also close to Tony's heart. Tony had numerous friends and started his day with morning coffee with "the guys" including Harry, Bill, Con and many others new and already gone.
There will be no service at the request of Tony. Donations in his honour may be made to the Palliative Care Unit at Creston ValleyHospital.
Special thanks to Dr LeRoux and the staff at Creston Valley Hospital who made Tony's last stay with his family and friends the best it possibly could.
The last thing everyone who knew him would expect to hear from Tony is "The Car is Leaving" and now it has gone.