Anton “Tony” Ancelj

01/03/1949 - 04/03/2024

Anton “Tony” Ancelj passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on April 3, 2024. He was 75 years old.

Anton was born on January 3, 1949, in Semic, Yugoslavia (Slovenia) to Anton and Rozalija Ancelj. Anton moved to the United States in 1967 and, in 1978, wed Marilyn Caruana and went on to have three children: Tony, 41, Margaret, 38, and Michelle, 35. For more than three decades, he worked as a general contractor building homes in San Francisco, a career he was passionate about.

Anton loved to travel with his family, taking trips throughout Europe and the United States, and was a member of the KSKJ American Slovenian Catholic Union and Maltese American Social Club in South San Francisco. He enjoyed watching his children play sports in their younger years and was a devoted fan of the 49ers, SF Giants, and Golden State Warriors. A lover of Slovenian style polka and potiča, Anton was incredibly proud of the traditions of his home country of Slovenia.

Anton was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and an incredibly generous soul. In addition to his children, Anton is survived by his father-in-law Joseph Caruana, motherin-law Margaret Caruana, sister Mihela (Ancelj) Pezdirc, sons-in-law Michael “Mick” Lombardi and Jesse Madrid, grandchildren Dominic Lombardi, Michael Lombardi, Sienna Lombardi, Ryan Madrid, and Olivia Madrid, nephews Andrej Pezdirc, Justin Caruana, and Vince Caruana, nieces Tanja (Pezdirc) Vipavec and Julia (Caruana) Kope, brothers-in-law Tony Caruana, Charles Caruana and Joseph Caruana, sister-in-law Melissa (Grima) Caruana, cousin Zalka Ancely, and cousins in Slovenia, Montana, and Colorado.

Family and friends may visit on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 after 4:00 PM at CHAPEL OF THE HIGHLANDS, El Camino Real at 194 Millwood Drive in Millbrae, with a Rosary Service at 7:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Saint Dunstan Catholic Church in Millbrae. Committal will follow at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma.

Tony’s family appreciates donations to Saint Dunstan Catholic Church, 1133 Broadway, Millbrae, CA 94030.