Tony Serghides

Antonios “Tony” Serghides was born January 16, 1947, on the island of Cyprus. He finished elementary school in his village of Philousa and through determined effort attended high school in a neighboring city.

Tony first came to the United States as a foreign exchange student to a loving family in Santa Paula, California. When that year was over he returned to Cyprus and completed his required military service. Tony was rightly proud of his service as a Cypriot Green Beret during the conflict between Cypriot Greeks and Turks.

Tony later attended the university in Athens, Greece, for a time. His studies were not enough to keep him occupied and he became involved in the governmental unrest in Greece, under a military dictatorship. He hired on to a merchant ship to avoid being imprisoned by the ruling generals in Greece.

Tony had many stories of times in ports of the Mediterranean and surrounding seas. But, when his ship sank and he was in the water for hours, he decided to look for other adventures. He made his way to Egypt where he worked on the docks for meager pay. He saved enough money to fly to California where he was welcomed by his foster family.

Tony graduated from Ventura Junior College and transferred to California State Polytechnical College at Pomona to continue his studies. There, Tony met Virginia Howard. Tony and Virginia were married February 19, 1972, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tony found his way into the propane industry and used his skills for years, installing stand by industrial systems, proving gas meters, trouble shooting and repair of equipment, planning and building propane delivery plants, and converting gasoline vehicles to propane.

In 1979, Tony and Virginia moved to rural Hartville, Missouri, where Tony was in his element – designing, building, gardening, hunting, fishing, and repairing everything that Virginia could break.

Tony was saved at a Billy Graham crusade as a student in California. He was a faithful member of Rock Chapel Freewill Baptist Church and held many positions in the church over the years. Tony left this world March 2, 2025, at his home near Hartville.

Tony is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Virginia; two sons, Dwayne and Ricky and wife, Tanya; three grandchildren, Meadow, Autumn, and Samson; nephew, Yiannis and wife, Eleni, and children, Christoforos and Evdokia; niece, Christina and husband, Evelthon, and children, Maria and Nefeli; niece, Persoulla and family, all of Cyprus; and many church family and friends who will miss him greatly. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Convoy of Hope.