Anthony (“Tony”) Joseph Skrypzak, born November 10, 1937, passed away on March 14, 2025, apparently of a heart attack, at Redlands Community Hospital. From his eulogy, MM received the following information:
Tony Skrypzak was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. While living as a youngster in Cherry Valley, California, with his parents and three brothers he developed a penchant to tinker with technical devices and taught himself electronics, photography, auto mechanics, carpentry.
His father died when Skrypzak was just eighteen, and he came a draftsman at Hughes Aircraft in Los Angeles. In the early 1960s, he joined the US Army and was stationed in Munich, Germany, where he met and married Maria. Skrypzak worked as a psychiatric technician at Patton State Hospital in Highland, moving in 1965 to the corner of Agate and Madeira, Mentone, the present family home.
In the 1970s Skrypzak attended nursing school at San Bernardino Valley College, where he received his R.N., continuing to work at Patton until he retired in the late 1980s. During his retirement he gardened, built a garage and renovated parts of the family home, also making his own wine and beer.
He is survived by Maria, son Tony Jr., and his son, Daniel, as well as daughter JoAnn and her family. Skrypzak’s memorial service and reception following were held at Weaver Mortuary and Crematorium in Beaumont on Wednesday, April 2, attended by close friends and family. The family will scatter his ashes in Joshua Tree National Park in a private ceremony. MM