Anthony Charles Contello of Hornell died Aug. 1, 2025, at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester after a valiant, year-long battle with kidney and bone cancer. He was 43 years old.
He was born on Long Island to Tony and Jane Contello and raised in Walton where he graduated from Walton Central School, Class of ’99. In school, he enjoyed running track and playing football. After attending SUNY Cobleskill, he began his work career in 2000 with New York state at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, followed by work at Geneseo, Empire and other institutions. In 2016 he began working at Alfred State College in the student records and financial services department. He enjoyed his Alfred State family, and it was there that he met the love of his life, his wonderful fiancée Kate Meehan. After they fell in love, they were rarely separated. She was at his side when he drew his last breath.
Family meant everything to Anthony, especially his son, Gabe, and daughter, Natalie. From young ages, he took them hiking, swimming, camping, fishing, and to do other outdoor sports, summer and winter. He continued this after he met Kate. The two often hiked for miles. He also enjoyed riding his motorcycles, taking rides through the countryside for hundreds of miles sometimes, even as cancer began to slow him down.
Anthony also was known for his sense of humor, his love of spelling, grammar and punctuation, and especially his love of pizza.
Anthony was predeceased by his grandparents, Tony and Marie Contello and Charles and Ruth Pfeiffer.
He is survived by his parents, his fiancée Kate and his two children, his sister and brother-in-law, Mary and John Phraner and their children, his nephew Colby and his niece Mallory, as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date, with burial in the Walton Cemetery.
