Dr. Donald Anthony, Sr.

Dr. Donald Anthony, Sr., age 89 of Conneaut, died Friday evening August 20, 2021 at in Highland Heights.

Don was born on September 7, 1931 in Conneaut, the son of Dominic and Helen Valerioti Anthony.  He was a 1949 graduate of Conneaut High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at Case Western Reserve. He then entered Case Western Reserve University Medical School and earned his MD.  He interned at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, New York, then completed internal medicine residency at UH Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve. He was a leading doctor in the fight for understanding and curing cancer, initially specialized in GI cancer, and later led one of the first clinical trials for gene therapy treatment of brain cancer.

Don served as President of the Ohio Chapter for the American Cancer Society, and led efforts for colon cancer screening and expanding research funding in the 1980s and 1990s.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Gloria Crawford, and several cousins.

Don is survived by his wife of 65 years Eleanor Taylor Anthony, son Dr. Donald Anthony, Jr. and Gretchen Gardner of Chardon, Ohio, grandson Devin G. Anthony of Chardon, brothers Ronald Anthony, James Anthony and Mary Lynn Anthony all of Conneaut, and a sister Shirley Smola of Brecksville, Ohio. 

Private services and burial will be held for the family at St. Joseph Cemetery, Conneaut with Father Raymond Thomas of Our Lady of Peace Parish officiating. 

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Raisian Family Funeral Home, Conneaut.

Memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Dr. Donald Anthony’s memory.

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