Anthony F. "Tony" "Graz" Graziano's Obituary
Anthony Felix Graziano, known to everyone as “Tony,” or “Graz” passed away at his home in Canastota, NY on Sunday, December 14th, 2025, just a few weeks short of his 104th birthday.
Tony was born January 18th, 1922, in Verona N.Y. He stayed in the area for the rest of his life, eventually settling in nearby Canastota. A member of “The Greatest Generation,” he served his country valiantly during World War II. With a parachute on his back, he jumped into Normandy on D-Day and lived to tell the story. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944-1945. He helped liberate concentration camps and the stories from that era stayed with him for the rest of his life.
After the war, Tony found his footing in two arenas. He became a boxing promoter, manager and trainer for more than 60 years and guided Canastota’s Billy Backus to the World Welterweight title in 1970. Over the years, he traveled the world and guided countless numbers of amateur and professional boxers, including NABF junior middleweight titleholder Rocky Fratto during the early 1980s. He was instrumental in the founding and building of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota.
Tony also established himself as a restauranteur, first in Oneida, and then in Canastota, where he owned and operated Graziano’s Casa Mia Restaurant for 54 years. In the mid-80s, he built a hotel behind the restaurant, and appropriately, the Boxing Hall of Fame was built across the street from there. The Casa Mia was already a gathering place for boxing aficionados when the Hall was built. The restaurant became a mecca for boxers and fans alike on Hall of Fame weekend, and they enjoyed sharing stories with Tony and hearing his own.
Tony’s favorite place was, without a doubt, “The River,” spending summers along the St. Lawrence in the Thousand Islands Region. Though he traveled all over the world with his boxers, you would hear him say on a regular basis, “There’s no place like the St. Lawrence; it’s the best place on earth.” He loved fishing and boating and cherished his time in Fishers Landing.
In retirement, Tony enjoyed football, something he could not watch much of when he was at the restaurant! He rooted for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. He was the Grand Marshall for the Boxing Hall of Fame parade in 2022 and was featured in other parades in the region.
Tony enjoyed cooking Italian food from sausage to pizza fritte, he loved hot peppers and eating out at places where people knew him and could visit with him. He proudly wore his “World War II Veteran” baseball cap and was rarely seen without it. He also enjoyed cookouts at his daughter and son-in-law’s condo, especially hot dogs-preferring charred coneys to the regular frank!
Tony was a father, grandfather, great grandfather, and to many, a friend and mentor.
He is survived by his daughter, Valerie Graziano and her husband, Peter King Steinhaus; his granddaughter, Antonia G. Tabenkin (Andrew); his great granddaughter, Sylvia Tabenkin; his loyal and loved niece and nephew, Christine and Edward DuBois; his nephew, Tony Graziano (Holly) and a great many nieces, nephews and cousins, along with countless friends and admirers. He appreciated those loyal and faithful friends who showed up with food, care, and companionship in his last few years.
He was predeceased by his wife, Edna (White) in 1973.
At Tony’s request, funeral services are private.
Donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a place where Tony would write checks to as he sat in his restaurant office late at night.
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