GROTON LONG POINT: Anthony Wayne Erdman Sr. (Tony) hummed his last tune on June 5, 2023 with his loving family at his side. Tony was born at home in West Hartford on September 27, 1929, to the late Albert W. and Sally (Williams) Erdman. Tony was educated at Kingswood School, Kent School (Class of 1947), and was a graduate of Yale University (Class of 1951). Tony loved people, sports, music and the business world in general.
Most of all Tony enjoyed spending time with his multigenerational family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Carole (Lowe) Erdman; three children, Heidi (Erdman) Heublein and her partner Mark Andrews, Anthony W. Erdman, Jr., and Suzanne (Erdman) Warner. He also leaves nine grandchildren, Timothy and Caitlin McCoy, Gretchen (Heublein) Shaw and her husband Kurtis, Gunner Erdman and his wife Megan, Samuel Erdman, Sophie and Xaio Yin Heublein, Pia and Lili Warner, as well as three great-grandchildren, Dahlia McCoy, and Avery and Addison Erdman. He also leaves numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Tony is predeceased by his two sisters, Sally (Erdman) Belding and Joan (Erdman) St. John.
Tony joined the US Army in 1951 and served both Active and Reserve duty retiring in 1974 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He founded The Erdman Agency in 1954, and remained involved in the insurance business for many years, as a member of local, state, and national association boards. He served many years on the boards of Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Cedar Hill Cemetery. After retirement Tony was forever busy, be it playing bridge with family and friends, poker with his beloved Wednesday night group, or tootling around in his car monitoring the progress of the local osprey population. Later in life when he was well into his 70's, Tony was a crew member on a commercial boat owned by his former son-in-law, and he marveled at the opportunity that someone would actually pay him to be on the sea.
Tony was a member of Saint John's Church in West Hartford and Saint Mark's Church in Mystic.
An avid outdoorsman, he played golf competitively as a member of both the Hartford Golf Club and the Stonington Country Club. Tony loved spending time on the golf course with his wife and son; lobstering in his motorboat "Chatterbox" with family, sailing with dear friends, and skiing with friends and family at Mad River Glen.
Musically, he was a member of the University Club and sang bass with the "Spare Parts", a men's singing group of which he was a founding member. Tony also played the piano for his own and friends' enjoyment. We know he would like to sign off with a message, lyrics to one of his favorite tunes-
"When you're smilin', when you're smilin'
The whole world smiles with you
When you're laughin', when you're laughin'
The sun comes shinin' through
But when you're cryin', you bring on the rain
So stop that cryin', be happy again
Keep on smilin', cause when you're smilin'
The whole world smiles with you"
~Louis Armstrong
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 29, at 10am at Saint Mark's Church, 15 Pearl Street, Mystic CT and followed by a celebration of life. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers please consider donating to New England Science & Sailing (NESS) PO Box 733, Stonington CT 06378 or Groton Open Space Association (GOSA) PO Box 9187, Groton CT 06340