Anthony "Tex" Simone, 86, of Syracuse, passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side on Friday, March 6, 2015. He was born and raised in Syracuse, the son of the late Dominic and Rose (Campanella) Simone.Tex was a long time communicant of Our Lady of Pompei/St. Peter church and a member of the Holy Name, as well as a member of the IAAC (Italian American Athletics Club). In his 86 years, what didn't Anthony 'Tex' Simone do &#133; and do well? In the 1940s, he was All-City in baseball and basketball at North High &#133; During the Korean Conflict in the '50s, he was a platoon sergeant in the Army's 354th Engineer Battalion &#133; Later, he was a collegian; a husband, father, grandfather, uncle &#133; And for six decades in his hometown, a most decorated Triple-A baseball executive. The road leading to the Syracuse Chiefs' stadium is named for him &#133; Tex Simone Drive. Ken Levine, who broadcast Chiefs' games in 1988, created a fictional character for an episode of 'The Simpsons' - Antoine 'Tex' O'Hara, owner of the Springfield Isotopes - based on our Tex, who passed away Friday. When he left his post as the community-owned club's Chief Operating Officer/ Executive Vice-President two years ago, Tex said, "As a Syracuse native, my love for this community and the ballclub has never wavered." International League President Randy Mobley put it this way: "Tex Simone is not only an International League icon, but an icon throughout minor league baseball &#133; the league has not seen a more humble and considerate individual on its Board of Directors in our lifetime." His accomplishments are many and well-documented. He's been honored by countless civic groups for his community service, always performed in a most understated manner. Yet this unpretentious man with the simplest of monikers was a member of five Halls of Fame -Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame (1991), Syracuse Chiefs Wall of Fame ('01), International League HOF ('08), Le Moyne College HOF ('11), North High School HOF ('12). And testament to his withstanding the test of time were his six IL Executive of the Year awards, one he shared with his son in 1998, spanning a quarter-century. When it comes to major league executives, there's none better than the Phillies' Pat Gillick, who said of Tex: "I never, ever worked with another Triple-A general manager more committed to the game. He was committed to the fans and people of Syracuse. "No one understood the major league club, but also his constituency, better than Tex &#133; We had a business relationship and friendship &#133; When I was with the Yankees and the Blue Jays, I enjoyed coming to Syracuse and being in the company of a true, true baseball person." Tex may not have always looked the part of the baseball exec. No expensive three-piece suits or tasseled loafers. During a lengthy rain delay, you might see him in hip boots, helping the ground crew. "I remember driving to the stadium and seeing Tex outside, mowing grass. Or he'd be inside, on a tractor, mowing &#133; He was a hard-working guy," said broadcaster Sean McDonough, who aired Chiefs' games from 1982-84 while an undergraduate at Syracuse University. Not a glib speaker himself, Tex Simone simply spoke from the heart. "When I first met him, I thought he had a gruff exterior," McDonough recalled. "I wondered, 'Did this guy even like me?' "Over time, I came to realize, he cared about you &#133; He cared about you a lot!" McDonough's voice became choked with emotion. "I was happy that years later, I was able to know he was proud of me. He'd given me a launching forum. He has meant an awful lot to me &#133; There are a lot of us who were at WAER (SU's student radio station) who owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Tex," said McDonough. "He gave us the chance to start our career as students." "He cared about the players," said Hall of Famer Bobby Cox, who played here in 1970. "He was one of us!" Syracuse meant a lot to Tex Simone. While he could have joined the Detroit Tigers in 1968, he chose to remain in the Chiefs' front office - as business manager and also handling public relations duties. So many have been helped along the way by Tex. "Of all the general managers I worked for in the minor leagues, Tex stood out," said Cox, the Chiefs' manager from '73-76. "He taught me to play the game. When it rained, he'd wait to call it. I agreed one thousand percent. "You don't want more doubleheaders &#133; I never forgot that." "There is no doubt," McDonough declared, "I never would have been doing television of the Red Sox as a 25-year-old had it not been for Tex Simone. "I - like many, many others - owe him an eternal debt of gratitude." Tex had come from the ground crew in '61, rake in hand &#133; to rubbing sore arms as the trainer &#133; arranging bus trips and hotel rooms as traveling secretary &#133; to convincing a parent club's farm director that one more seasoned southpaw solves his staff's bullpen woes. For 27 seasons ('70-96), he was the Chiefs' GM. And yes, victories did not outnumber defeats. But there was the halcyon season of 1970, when Frank Verdi's club won the IL pennant, Governors' Cup playoffs and Junior World Series. As Herald-Journal/Herald American beat writer back then, covering teams at MacArthur Stadium, I still consider that to be the season of seasons in Syracuse Chiefs' history. There were other pennants won, by Doug Ault ('85) and Bob Bailor ('89), and five additional playoff finals, including the Govs' Cup won by Cox ('76). It is, however, not all a case of W's and L's. Or even the balance sheet. "No detail escaped him," said McDonough. "I remember a couple of foul balls coming back into the broadcast booth, and I tossed them down in the crowd. After one, the door opens. It's Tex - reminding me of what a baseball costs and that they can be used for batting practice. "That was the last ball I threw away!" When it comes to Anthony 'Tex' Simone, it was more a matter of keeping baseball in our town than just the business of baseball itself. "&#133; if it had not been for Tex Simone's efforts in the early 1990s, the team would not be at that existing ballpark (now NBT Bank Stadium)," IL President Mobley said, "and may not be in that city for that matter." Savior of the franchise &#133; Partriarch of modern-day baseball in Syracuse. Yes, indeed. Job well done! He was predeceased by his six siblings, Archie Simone, Marie DeGroot, Ann Santola, Nicholas "Nick" Simone, Louise Michaels and Dominic Simone. Tex is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Joanne (Venditti) Simone; his two children, Wendy (Steven) Shoen of Syracuse and John (Mary) Simone of North Syracuse; six grandchildren, Andrew (Mari), Adam, Ariel, Alexander, Aaron and Karen; many nieces, nephews and cousins. His family wishes to express special thanks to Becca Quilty-Koval and the 2nd Floor staff at St. Joseph's Hospital. Joanne Kolo and the entire staff at the VA Medical Center, 5th Floor, 7th Floor and emergency room doctors and nurses. Jenna Gardner at Upstate ENT. Sue Edwards for her compassionate care and Bob Snyder for his assistance with this obituary. A Funeral Mass in celebration of Tex Simone's life will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at Our Lady of Pompei/St. Peter Church. Entombment will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery Mausoleum. Family and friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2015 at the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME, 3401 Vickery Rd. (corner of Buckley Rd.) North Syracuse, NY. Contributions may be made to the Francis House, 108 Michael's Ave., Syracuse, NY 13208, Franciscan Villa, 6900 Buckley Rd., North Syracuse, NY 13212, CNY ;(function() { var adKeyValue = 't='; adKeyValue+= escape('clio=ALZ'); adKeyValue += escape('&cobrand=syracuse'); adKeyValue += escape('&linktext=Alzheimer\'s Association'); adKeyValue += escape('&linkurl=https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=5080&5080.donation=form1&set.TributeType=MEMORIAL&set.custom.honoree_name=Anthony Simone&set.TributeMessage=A+gift+has+been+made+in+remembrance+of+Anthony Simone'); adKeyValue += escape('&fn=Anthony'); adKeyValue += escape('&ln=Simone'); var adClkUrl = 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/423686928/prod/obit-aff/obit-standard/clio-inline-1&' + adKeyValue + '&sz=1x1&c=194691279'; var adImpUrl = 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/423686928/prod/obit-aff/obit-standard/clio-inline-1&' + adKeyValue + '&sz=1x1&c=194691279'; document.write("<a href='" + adClkUrl + "' target=_blank>Alzheimer\'s Association<" + 'img' + " src='" + adImpUrl + "' style='width=1px; height=1px; display:inline;' /></a>"); }());, 441 W. Kirkpatrick St., Syracuse, NY 13204, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 100 Metropolitan Park Dr., # 400, Liverpool, NY 13088. Words of comfort may be expressed at tjpfuneralhome.com "FAMILY OWNED" (Formerly of Pirro & Sons) (315) 451-9500 Date of Death: March 6, 2015