Anthony was born January 1, 1950

He passed November 8, 2025

Anthony was preceded in death by Wife Stephanie Ortiz Pantoja; Father Jess Pantoja; Mother Mary Cruz Pantoja; eldest brother Steve Pantoja; younger brother Michael Pantoja. He is survived by daughter Erica, son Marcus, daughter-in law Christina, grandchildren Mark, Marissa, Stefany, Karmen, and Mary, great granddaughters Adelae and Ximena, brothers Dan and Bob, sisters Mary, Lupe, and Esther.

Anthony “Tony” was born on January 1, 1950, in San Jose CA, and raised on the infamous ranch with his four brothers. This is where his mischievous adventures began. The stories range from him jumping off a barn with an old military parachute to tossing apricots at his father Jess as he drove through the orchard. Working hard in the apricot and prune orchards at a young age combined with his funny and creative mind is where he learned that one can work hard to support your family while still making room for fun.

Tony attended Mount Pleasant Elementary School, Robert Sanders Middle School and on to Overfelt High School his freshman year. Cruising the halls as a cool football player he attended an English class that would be an important point in his timeline. Being unprepared (or was he really) and needing a pencil he smoothly asked the young lady sitting in front of him “Pssst hey Steph can I have a pencil?” In classic Stephanie form she turned around and replied “Only my friends call me Steph”.

By Junior year, when he transferred to the newly built Mount Pleasant High School, fate stepped in again.  Rushing to class, as he turned a corner he bumped into the same young woman, Stephanie Ortiz. A spark hit them both and it was the beginning of their journey together. One day, while detailing the inside of his ‘57 Chevy he told to Stephanie, “I’m thinking of joining the United States Air Force, but I would like to marry you first, if you’d have me” Tony and Stephanie were married February 1, 1969. He joined the United States Air Force, and they moved to Chanute Illinois for a year, followed by a year at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. There he worked as ground and maintenance support, patching bullet holes on helicopters and fighter jets, and dismantling wreckage for critical components. It would be an early glimpse into what would become his trade and passion.

Back stateside, Tony was stationed at Mather Air Force base.  He and Stephanie settled in a small home in Sloughhouse, CA. On April 5, 1972, Stephanie gave birth to their daughter, Erica Lynn. A few months later, Tony deployed to Phu Cat Air Base in Vietnam for 90 days. In 1973, the young family moved into their permanent home in Citrus Heights, CA.  Tony was honorably discharged and exploring career options. With his experience working with metal in the Air Force, he entered Sheet Metal Trade. On December 28, 1974, Stephanie gave birth to their son Marcus Anthony. Now a union sheet metal apprentice with a young family, he needed a reliable vehicle to get to work, leading him to purchase his beloved ‘64 Triumph TR4.

Tony and Stephanie shared countless adventures:  car runs with the club, trips to Hawaii, cruises to the Bahamas, New Years celebrations in Las Vegas, visits to Seattle, drives up the Oregon coast, and many more. Their love for each other only grew stronger with time. Raising Erica and Marcus was an adventure of its own. From Blue Grass Festivals, trips to Virginia, binge-watching TV with hot chocolate, and Sunday morning texts “Duuuude, breakfast, Suzie’s come pick me up”, to stabbing his lip with a toothpick at Claim Jumper, and holding the flashlight while wrenching on cars. Tony was always there with guidance, a helping hand, and humor. 

His children meant everything to him. Tony was later blessed with five grandchildren: Mark “Pal” Leyva Jr., Marissa “Speedy” Leyva, Stefany “Sunshine” Leyva, Karmen “The Eyeballer” Pantoja, and Mary “The Navigator” Pantoja. He was also fortunate to meet his great-granddaughters, Adelae “The Kid” Leyva and Ximena “Escuincle” Núñez. He treasured every moment with them, trips to Lake Tahoe, Disneyland, the theatre, Yosemite, countless car-club rallies, and events. He was the funny grandpa with unforgettable jokes and pranks. He loved helping Pal with his home in Virginia, telling Marissa “Thank you” when she was going to get cleaned up, asking Stefany “Hey Sarge, you gonna make your bed?”, and teasing Karmen and Mary by asking them “Hypothetically speaking… if we went to get ice cream what flavor would you get?”. He played chess with Addie during her summer visits and watched cartoons with Ximena, both wearing the classic Pantoja stare. He was immensely proud of their accomplishments and encouraged what was yet to come.

Tony excelled in his sheet metal career, earning the most outstanding apprentice award, becoming a foreman, superintendent, and running numerous projects. He gave back to his union by becoming a part-time fourth-year instructor, believing that passing on his knowledge would strengthen the trade he loved. When Marcus graduated high school usure of his path, Tony pointed him to the sheet metal trade and said “There’s the door, but you have to open it. What you do on the other side is up to you.” Eventually, Tony became the full-time instructor at The Sheet Metal Training Center. He said the highlight of his teaching career was having his son as a student, though Marcus would say the honor was his. Before retiring, Tony became a business representative for his local union, fighting for workers’ rights and collaborating with Contractors to ensure everyone was treated fairly.

Tony enjoyed many hobbies over the years, big family gatherings, camping, boating, snow and water skiing, hunting, skeet shooting, and golfing. One passion always waited patiently in the garage, his TR4.  After nearly fifteen years on jack stands, he finally brought it back to life.  The joy on his face the first time he fired it up watching the muffler shoot into pieces across the driveway was a priceless. Now with the TR4 up and running he became a member of The British Sports Car Club. After fully restoring the TR4 and winning awards, he took on the ‘75 Spitfire, transforming it from a pile of parts into another award-winning car.  Then came the ‘99 Jaguar, a filler project before his biggest challenge: restoring the ‘62 Thunderbird. It was a tribute to the car his mother Mary once owned and the one he and Stephanie drove to Disneyland for their honeymoon. He was deeply grateful to dear friends and club members Jerry and Katie, and Phil and Sue, who helped bring these projects to life. Tony was loved by many, family, friends, and everyone who crossed his path. His presence will be missed, but his spirit will continue to live in all of us.

We will miss you, Pop

Erica and Marcus