Anton (Tony) Rosanda
elevated rV48n It is with sorrow that we announce the passing of Anton Rosanda on October 21, 2025 at Mackenzie Health Hospital in Richmond Hill Ontario, at the age of 89. Anton, or Tony, as he was known to his many friends, was born in Stinjan, Istria on February 11, 1936, to parents Maria and Blaz Rosanda.
elevated rV48n Tony is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years Collette and his two nieces Silvana Pilar and Magda Martincevic.
elevated rV48n As the 1950’s drew to a close, Tony emigrated to Canada in search of greater opportunities. In 1962 Tony met Collette Rideau, they were married less than a year later in 1963. Seven years later they started Norfinch Tool and Die Company which they ran together successfully for nearly 50 years.
elevated rV48n Tony loved the outdoors and his time on The Lake of Bays and in Algonquin park. Sailing, canoeing and cross-country skiing were some of his favorite pastimes.
elevated rV48n Tony was a gifted artist, photographer and craftsman. His skill at marquetry is well recognized and has been shared and enjoyed by everyone.
elevated rV48n Tony dearly loved the Istra Ucka Canadian Club north of Toronto. Serving as club president for eight years, he never missed an event there. His artwork was always carefully on display. He treasured all the club members as though they were family.
elevated rV48n Tony’s memory will be cherished by all who knew him. He will be sorely missed.
elevated rV48n Visitation will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home, 211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, ON (Bayview and Langstaff) on Saturday, November 8, 2025 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. followed by Words of Remembrance to celebrate Tony’s life.
elevated rV48n Donations to Canadian Cancer Society, or the Alzheimer Society of Canada, would be appreciated as your expression of sympathy.
Our condolences to Tony’s family for their loss. He will be missed by his friends at Istra Ucka Cdn Club. Rest in peace and God Bless your family
Tony was my best friend for 50 years. Predictably honest, caring, loyal, good natured and socially responsible, he radiated calm and brought joy to everyone he met. I will miss him very much.
Our heartfelt condolences to Collette, his two nieces , Silvana Pilar, Magda Martincevic. and family in Croatia. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this time of sorrow. We will cherish all the beautiful memories we had with Tony as he was a friendly,, hard worker, happy go lucky person , who was so proud and enjoyed inviting his friends at parties at Istra Ucka Club for the delicious food, music and dancing. We will surely miss the ice cream and desserts he brought to us on Sundays and when the ladies were slaving away making homemade fuži and gnocchi. Also. he loved telling his jokes. playing cards and bocce. His warmth, kindness, and incredible artwork and hobbies spoke volumes about who he was. You had such a genuine spirit, full of hope and creativity. We feel grateful to have met you and shared those moments. Rest peacefully our friend — your art and your kindness will never be forgotten.
Milivoj, Josie, Gianfranco and Mark Anthony Benic🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️
My deepest condolences to all the family.
Tony will always be remembered as very kind, friendly and fun to be around.
My friends and I will definitely miss him at future Istrian picnics.
May he rest in peace 🕊️
It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my dear client, Tony.
Tony was a blessing in my life — more than someone I cared for, he became a friend.
He loved nature, and he brought joy to those around him with his humor, creativity, and kindness.
I am thankful for the time God allowed us to share — for the laughter, the warmth, and the memories.
Tony will always be remembered with love.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18
May his soul rest in peace, and may God comfort all who loved him. 🤍🌿
Tony is good friend of mine long time since I moved to Oakridge is a family member to me. I miss him every day in the McDonald’s and his favourite bakery and we make wine together and we work back together. Sometimes he’s a good friend. I miss daily. God bless him.
Our deepest condolences to Tony’s family for their profound loss. His absence will be felt by all who knew him.
Tony was calm, kind, and consistently thoughtful — always taking a moment to greet everyone, young and old. He had a genuine passion for creating, and a real joy in sharing what he made. A true artist.
He was a true gentleman — trustworthy, honest, caring, and steadfast.
We are grateful to have had Tony in our lives.
He will be missed, and he will be remembered.
Love,
Tonci & Branka Verbanac & Family
Gianni and Albino Verbanac
I’m heartbroken to hear about Tony’s passing. I had the privilege of working with him for a year and a half, and during that time, he became very special to me. Tony had such a wonderful sense of humor and a kind heart — he always cared about the people around him and could make anyone smile. I’ll always remember the good times we shared and the warmth he brought into every day. He will be deeply missed.
My sincere condolences to Collette and family here and in Croatia . I am extremely saddened by the passing of my close friend Tony. As members of the Marquetry Society of Canada ,the Golden Age Academy , the Kleinburg Art Gallery and the local Senior Center we attended many art events, wood shows and competitions and exhibits , teaching and displaying various art & crafts together. I can’t say enough about him .He will truly be missed by everyone who knew him. Rest in peace Tony .
Ken,Olivia,Ian and Andrea Perch
I will always cherish my time with Tony, For over 25 years we were very good friends and neighbors. I learned a lot about
machining and he helped me with my special handicap lock
product that is in use around the world.
Tony’s artistic skills….. A great creative genius painting, amazing carving what he could envision in a twisted root or branch Tony would bring to life a joy for all to behold.
Tony was a friend and mentor to the many artisans at The Aurora Seniors Association. His works were admired and on display for all to see.
We spent many times in our gardens and admiring nature in all it’s splendor. He loved the great outdoors all the birds on his hand made bird feeders and the antics of the bunnies and squirrels in his yard and garden.
The local coffee shops were made so much more interesting. We shared many stories and Tony always had some jokes and some new projects to show us.
His cultural background and community endeavors with his fellow club members is to be admired..
I will miss my good special friend. Very much like his home made wine Tony aged gracefully and became the finest wine.
The good lord above the creator, gave us one of his best…….
Rest In Peace…….. You, Tony, will remain in our hearts…….
I will smile when I think of you.
Our deepest and sincere condolences to Colette and the whole family. He was such a nice and friendly person. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Franco and Oliva Ruzzier
Tony was our dear neighbour for many decades on Coons Road. We remember countless BBQ’s together with Tony telling jokes and enjoying spending time with his friends. Rest in peace Tony, with love from the Rizzuto family.
Once in a while in our lives we meet someone and after that life is not the same anymore. Tony was that kind of friend to me. We met years ago in Grandma’s cafe. At the time I was studying to get my PhD and was extremely busy. He would knock at my door and will bring tomatoes and cucumbers from his garden and explain how to grow them. He brought another view of life to my intellectually , serious and hectic life. He taught me how to use my hands to make and create. We finished so many projects together. He introduced me to the fascinating life of birds. He and Collette become family and attended every thanks giving, Christmas and birthday. They loved Persian food. My family loved them. With his health taking a down turn since 2023, I had the privilege of being with him in almost every doctor appointments, chemo sessions, surgeries and procedures. During them all he stayed so positive and strong. He absolutely loved Collette and would ask me to visit her while he was in hospital or at home. Collette would respond happily to our visits and would communicate with me and my dog and that would make him very happy. I am still in disbelief and there is no moment that something would not remind me of him. He is everywhere and I miss him dearly.
What a great member of the Marquetry Society we had in Anton! He was always helping others in the group learn new little ways to improve their projects. He certainly enjoyed socializing with everyone at the meeting, making his way from desk to desk to chat. We have missed his big smile and presence at our meetings that’s for sure! It was a pleasure for all of us within the Society to have had him part of it.