May 2015
During their 60-year marriage, Tony and Geri Innocenti, F56315, rarely were apart. Whether at church, in their motorhome, at FMCA rallies and Family Reunions, or at home in Victoria, Texas, they were an inseparable pair.
“So many of our family and friends tell us all the time, when you saw Geri, you saw Tony. When you saw Tony, you saw Geri,” said the couple’s daughter, Susie Motal.
It was no surprise, then, that after Tony’s open-heart surgery in September, Geri became his main caregiver at home. He regained his strength and was doing well.
But then on January 21, 2015, Geri died.
Susie said that for the most part, her father grieved privately. She asked him about missing the times the couple was home alone, sometimes not conversing much, but simply happy to be together. Tony acknowledged: “That’s where it hurts.”
The heartbreak was perhaps too much. Tony died 40 days after Geri, on March 2, 2015. He was 80.
Tony held numerous positions within FMCA, including national vice president, South Central Area, from 2003 to 2007. Geri served on the Member Recruitment Committee from 2003 to 2004. Both were familiar faces at FMCA rallies and Family Reunions.
“They prided themselves on being very supportive of FMCA and attending the rallies,” said Darrell Gilliland, who served as national vice president, South Central Area, from 1996-1999. He described Tony as “a good, all-around guy” who loved to take on tasks for FMCA even after he left office. “He wanted to be right in there working,” Darrell said.
“He talked about working security or parking (at rallies), and he would get in that cart and go around,” Susie said. “Those rallies, to them, were very enjoyable.”
“Tony always put FMCA first,” said Fred Kennedy, a former national vice president, South Central Area, who succeeded Tony in that post. “He helped me do a better job by keeping me up-to-date on past and future things coming before the board.”
FMCA national president Charlie Adcock said Tony was “my biggest mentor in FMCA throughout the years.” In fact, he said, “If it were not for Tony Innocenti, I would not be president of FMCA. I may not have even been active in FMCA.”
It was Tony, he said, who encouraged him to run for North Region vice president in the South Central Area. And when Charlie offered to resign that post because a conflict prevented him from attending a rally, it was Tony who got the board to approve an excused absence.
“He was a Texan,” Charlie said, “and he was a cool cowboy under fire.” As Charlie climbed the ranks of FMCA, he continued to benefit from Tony’s encouragement and help. “If he gave you responsibility, he gave you the authority to go with it.”
In addition to his daughter, Tony is survived by a son, Wayne Innocenti; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren, with another due in May.
Donations in memory of Tony can be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church Fund, P.O. Box 2448, Victoria, TX 77902.