Wellington, Fla. – Oct. 23, 2019 – Anthony “Tony” Joseph DePaula Jr., 75, husband of Susan Cassella DePaula, passed away on October 16, 2019. Tony was a successful businessman, avid horse enthusiast, family man and generous philanthropist. A long time supporter of the Polo Players Support Group, Tony will be greatly missed by all in the industry.
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Tony DePaula
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Born and raised in Schenectady, New York, Tony always had a love for both horses and automobiles. In April of 1980 he opened his first dealership in his hometown, DePaula Chevrolet. The family business has since grown into the DePaula Family Auto Group, which has received the Dealer of the Year award by General Motors a whopping nine times. He took great pride in his work with automobiles and served on the boards of many associations, councils and organizations.
Outside of his business, Tony’s other passion in life was horses. An avid polo enthusiast, he invested in Saratoga Polo Association and played high-goal polo alongside some of the best polo players in the world. In 1984 Tony started sponsoring the DePaula Chevrolet Cup, later purchasing the club with three other businessmen. Tony also had a profound love for thoroughbreds, which led him and his wife of 48 years, Susan Cassella DePaula, to purchase a box at the Saratoga Race Course where he was a fixture for each season. The pair went on to own their own stables for breeding and racing horses.
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| Tony DePaula |
To friends, family and those who were lucky enough to meet Tony, he was known as a kind and generous man. Many charitable organizations, which ranged from local to nationwide, saw the kind heartedness of his donations. Tony’s legacy will continue for many years in the philanthropic work he carried out throughout his life. He is survived by his wife, his daughter, Kara DePaula Lynch (Paul), his beloved grandsons, Evan, Carter, Mason, and Trevor. He will be missed by his true companion, his dog, Bella.
In respect to Tony’s wishes, a private service was held. Charitable donations may be made in Tony’s memory to the American Heart Association.
