Anthony Sylvester Ridolfo

Oct. 27, 1918 - May 28, 2020

Saratoga

Anthony (Tony) passed away quietly in his sleep on Thursday morning, May 28, 2020. He was born in Montclair, New Jersey to Sylvester and Rosalie (Mascera) Ridolfo. He attended Rutgers University College of Pharmacy earning a B.S. degree in 1940. He then attended Ohio State University in pursuit of his master’s degree in pharmacy. While at Ohio State he met Virginia Carol Seaton who became his wife in 1942. He earned his Masters, and days after they were married, he took his brand new bride to the University of Toledo where he immediately started teaching in their school of pharmacy. He entered the US Navy and served aboard the USS Acree in the South Pacific during WWII earning the rank of Lt. JG.

After the service, he returned to Ohio State University to complete his Ph.D. in pharmacology. He taught for the next three years at OSU as an Associate Professor in Pharmacy. With the aid of the GI bill, he was admitted to OSU school of medicine earning his MD in 1954. After interning in Columbus, he moved to Indianapolis to do his residency in Internal Medicine, simultaneously joining Eli Lilly and Company as a clinical researcher, where he continued working until retiring in 1988 as a Senior Clinical Pharmacologist and Senior Physician in the Clinical Research Department. While working for Lilly, he authored or co-authored over 50 scientific papers on diabetic and arthritic drugs and clinical testing methodologies. He also continued teaching at Indiana University Medical School and retired as Professor Emeritus.

During retirement he enjoyed golf trips with friends and family and was an active member of SIRS and the YMCA to the end.

He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-six years, Virginia Carol, infant son Jonathan Alexander Ridolfo, three brothers and a sister. He is survived by his sister Rosalie Fortunato, his sons Tony Ridolfo (Sue) of Saratoga, Tom Ridolfo (Pegg) of Oracle, AZ, seven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Friends and family are invited to a visitation on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 from 5-7 p.m. and a funeral and burial service for the family on Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Crown Hill Funeral Home in Indianapolis, Indiana. A celebration of his life will be held later in California.