Dr. Tony Carl Milazzo of Friendship, MD passed away November 21, 2016. Dr. Milazzo was born on March 26, 1933 in Hammond, Indiana to Carl Milazzo and Lorraine McCaskey. A skilled athlete, he attended Indiana University and Indiana State University on athletic scholarships earning six varsity letters for his prowess on the gridiron and the baseball fields. In 1955, the Chicago Cardinals invited him to participate in their pre-season training camp. When an injury put an early end to his football career, Tony refocused on an interest in special education, school psychology, and educational administration that had been sparked during his time at IU. After graduation, he was recruited to teach special education in the Flint Community Schools in Flint, MI. There he saw firsthand how the existing system deprived special education students of opportunities to succeed and took action, becoming Dr. Milazzo after earning an EdD in Special Education at Vanderbilt University. He spoke before Congress in support of effective mainstreaming special education students as well as reforming the education programs of future teachers to include the skills needed to understand and navigate their challenges. Dr. Milazzo’s educational career included many highlights. He served as the first licensed school psychologist in the State of Indiana, the State Director of Division of Special Education in the Indiana Department of Public Instruction, Assistant Director of the Department of Educational Personnel Training, U.S. Department of Education (where he earned a superior service award), Assistant Professor University of Michigan and Director of the Urban Program in Education at University of Michigan (a program designed to bring university, schools, and the parent community together for the good of inner-city students), Director of one of five national centers in the country for the experimental training of Child Development Consultants, and Chairman of the Special Education Department of the University of Maryland. Dr. Milazzo was also a Master Carpenter and following his relocation to Maryland pursued his art through the formation of Colony Classics/Classic Custom Builders through which he also designed and built the home he shared with his wife. His children and grandchildren sought his assistance in their own academic pursuits, a challenge he attacked with vigor, spending countless hours revising, coaching, and sometimes dragging them through rough patches along the way. His family was thrilled to support him in turn when he was inducted into the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. Dr. Milazzo was proud of his Sicilian heritage and his spaghetti sauce, crafted over many hours, was the highlight of any family visit or event. Dr. Milazzo is survived by his wife Jean Wallace, his children Victoria, Anthony (Stacey), Dino (Sandra), and Dominic (Sheryl), and his grandchildren and great grandchildren in whom he strove to instill the importance of the academic process, dancing, 4 o’clock snacks, and Michigan Football.

Following the Mass of Christian Burial and interment at Jesus the Good Shepherd Cemetery, a reception for family and friends will be held at 11:00 A.M. at Momma Lucia’s Restaurant located at 10136 Southern Maryland Blvd., Dunkirk, MD 20754.

Also, at noon on Saturday, Dr. Milazzo’s friends and family are encouraged to celebrate his life by cheering on Michigan as they take on Ohio State. Go Blue!