Funeral services were held Monday in Sulphur for Louisiana Racing Commission Anthony Joseph Palermo.

© Johnson Funeral Home

VINTON, LA–SEPTEMBER 2, 2026–Anthony Joseph Palermo, Sr., 86, of Sulphur, LA, passed away on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, in a local hospital surrounded by his family and dear friends.

Mr. Palermo, affectionately known as "Papa Tony," was born in Port Arthur, TX, on December 18, 1938, the fourth of six children to Joseph R. Palermo, Sr., and Rose Minaldi Palermo. Sulphur has been his home since the eighth grade.

He was a graduate of Sulphur High School, where he played football, and McNeese State University, where he attained a bachelor’s degree in business. While at McNeese, he served as Team Captain of the McNeese ROTC Shooting Team.

Following his academic years, Mr. Palermo enlisted and served in the United States Army, where he was a member of the Special Shooters team. It was during this time that he first married and started a family. In his younger years, he worked with his father in real estate and insurance, and later, he branched out on his own in property development and construction.

He was a successful, well-respected businessman who always practiced the principle, "The man makes the money; the money doesn’t make the man."

Mr. Palermo was a member of many clubs and organizations and served in multiple positions on many local and state boards: Calcasieu Dock Board, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, and National Association of Wetland Managers.

He was also a lifelong and Honorary member of Ducks Unlimited, who recognized him at their National Headquarters in Memphis, TN, for "being the man behind The Tony & Tina Gun Collection, " which was prominently displayed at Duck’s Unlimited headquarters."

The DU Dinner Gun Collection is special, as "each gun in the collection is unfired and in ‘new-in-box’ condition, a six-year challenge he was honored to take on." Mr. Palermo, alongside his wife, worked passionately with the organization for many years in support of wetland and waterfowl conservation.

He thoroughly enjoyed traveling the world and embarked on countless hunting and fishing adventures with family and friends.

He was also a member of the Louisiana Racing Commission, American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), American Cutting Horse Association (ACHA), and National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA).

Amongst his many passions were raising, riding, showing, and racing quarter horses and cutting horses. He was a five-time ACHA World Champion and the 1981 $1,500 Non-Pro NCHA World Champion. In 2009, he was inducted into the ACHA Non-Pro Rider Hall of Fame.

Mr. Palermo humbly, often anonymously, donated generously to multiple area Catholic churches he supported. A man of faith, he was an active member of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Sulphur and was committed to instilling his strong Catholic heritage and values in the raising of his children and grandchildren. You would often hear him say, "My deal is simple, not complex," as he taught many life lessons to his family.

His greatest joy was his family. He loved the time they spent together and included them in every aspect of his life. He took great pride in his three grandchildren, with each of them having lived with him at the needed times in their life and followed, supported, and celebrated their activities along the way. He also found joy in spending time with their children as they began families of their own. His grandchildren remember that "we could always count on him showing up, there was never a doubt he would always be there."

He is also remembered for his love and devotion to his loving wife of twenty-six years, Tina. They did EVERYTHING together, from haircuts to horses, fishing, hunting, and traveling. They were inseparable.

He leaves to honor his memory his beloved wife, Tina Mortimer Palermo of Sulphur; two children, Anthony Joseph "Tony Boy" Palermo, Jr. of Sulphur and Angela Palermo LaBuff of Kinder; three grandchildren, Kassy Palermo Rickard (Jonathan), Anthony Joseph "Tony" Palermo, III (Amber) and Julia Williams; two great-grandchildren, Oakley Laelynn Rickard and Alan Joseph Palermo and his "fur baby," Rocko.

He also leaves his extended family: stepchildren, The Very Reverend Edward Richard, M.S. of Sulphur, Ricky Richard, Steve Richard (Shelly), and Dusty Richard Dickerson (Mark), all of Dequincy; six step-grandchildren and sixteen step-great-grandchildren, as well as countless dear friends who were considered family.                             

He was preceded in death by his parents, five siblings, Frances Walker, Carolyn Palermo, Mary Ann Fiorenza, Myron Joseph Palermo, and Joseph R. Palermo, Jr.; three great-grandchildren, Aspen Rose Rickard, Miles Dickerson, and Ryan Richard, and nephew, Joseph "Rock" Palermo, III.

A Mass of Christian burial was held Monday, September 1, 2025, at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church, under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home of Sulphur. The Very Rev. Edward Richard, M.S., officiated.

Pallbearers for the service were Anthony Joseph "Tony" Palermo, III, Alan Joseph Palermo, Alan Mathis, Danny Sanford, Joey Bourgeois, Jonathan Rickard, Lee Holsey, and Lee Holsey, Jr.

Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church, 1109 Cypress Street, Sulphur, LA 70663.