Anthony (Tony) Urban passed away on December 29, 2016 after a 17+ month battle with rare cholangiocarcinoma. Tony was born in Berlin, NH in 1936 where he grew up, graduated from Berlin High School and spent 79 years living in and affecting positive change in the North County by guiding and mentoring many, especially youth seeking advice on education, athletics, and career choices. In the last year Tony and Carolyn had moved to Bow, NH.
Tony graduated from Plymouth State College and later attended Colby College, Utah State University, the Universities of New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, as well as Dartmouth College, Keene State College, and Lehigh (PA) University. Tony was employed as a teacher, varsity basketball coach, Athletic Director, and Assistant Principal at Gorham Junior/Senior High School through 1967. He was Assistant Principal at Champlain Valley Union High School in Vermont in 1967/68. From 1963-1966 he served as an Assistant football coach at Berlin High which won their only State Football championship during that time. From 1968-1994 he served as the Berlin Junior/Senior High School Assistant Principal and Principal. He helped design and construct the “new” Berlin Senior High School which still stands today as an outstanding facility. He then served as the Principal of the Berlin Junior High School and Berlin Middle School. He served on New England wide school accreditation committees throughout his career.
From 1994-2001 he was appointed by two Governors to the post of Director of Plant and Property Management for the State of New Hampshire in Concord. He was an avid Boston College football fan holding season tickets for 40 years. He also enjoyed season tickets to the Red Sox for many years and attended many of the great Boston Celtics games of the 1950s and 1960s.
Tony served on many NHIAA committees including 36 years as the Hockey Committee Chairman. He was a member of the National High School Federation Hockey Rules Committee from 1977-1988. The 1977 group authored the first High School Hockey Rules book in the United States for consolidated utilization nationally. He was President of the NHIAA 1975-1976 and a member of the National Association of Secondary Principals from 1957 to the present.
Tony was a member of the IAABO (Basketball Officials) since 1963 and served as President 1977-1978. He was a member of the NH Baseball Umpires Association since 1961 and served as President 1979-1981. He was a member of the NH Women’s Basketball Officials Organization 1984-2005 and served as President 1984-1985. He was an associate member of the Collegiate Basketball Officials Association.
Tony served in several public service capacities statewide and locally. These included: state of New Hampshire Personnel Appeals Board; the Berlin Water Works Commission, the NH Pari-Mutual Commission; the NH Racing and Gaming Commission, the NH Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Gambling (1982); the NH Hockey Hall of Fame Committee, the NH Police Memorial Committee, the Berlin Police Commission (including as Chairman), Chairmen of the Berlin Track Facilities renovations committee, Chairmen of the most recent Berlin Schools facilities study committee, Coos County Service link board, and the Berlin Biomass project which resulted in successfully injecting jobs through renewable energy into the North Country.
He was happy to move things forward without fanfare. Among awards Tony received over the years were: the NHIAA Service Award in 1992, the John Clark Memorial Award (NH Officials Hall of Fame); the Larry Kleiner Award (NH Umpires Association), NHIAA Hall of Fame Award (2008), and the Joseph Vaughn Leadership and Volunteer Service Award for Coos County.
He was a member of the Elks Club, the Eagles Club, and a lifetime member of the 100 Club of New Hampshire. He worked with many local, State, and National politicians over the years. He was often the “go-to” person for campaign counsel in the North Country, especially.
Tony is survived by his wife Carolyn of nearly 51 years, His daughter Pamela Urban-Morin and husband Marc Morin of Bow, NH, brother Rudy, niece Christine Urban-Roberge, sisters-in law: Joan Dubey Morency, Nancy Dubey Thome and several cousins. He was pre-deceased by parents Mary Agrodnia Urban and Edward Urban; his in-laws Yvonne and Leon Dubey, aunts, uncles and cousins. He leaves behind many close friends from the Seacoast to Coos County and in other part of this country, as well.
At Tony’s request there are no public calling hours or services. Please make donations to the charity of ones choice in Tony’s honor and name. The Bryant Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.