Tony (and Pat) Busalacchi
Tony Busalacchi is a man about town – everybody knows Tony and Tony knows everybody – and for good reason; he has been exceptionally active in the City in a wide variety of roles.
Following service in the US Navy (on a minesweeper in Korea during the Korean War and later on a submarine) and college in Iowa, Tony returned to his hometown to teach humanities at the high school and university level and later older adults at Osher and the North Shore School for Seniors. He has been involved in school administration serving on the Whitefish Bay and Milwaukee School Boards; civic leadership as a Village Trustee for Whitefish Bay; and support of culture and the arts as Past President of the City of Milwaukee Art Commission, Trustee and Past President of The Friends of the Charles Allis, Co-founder and first President of the Milwaukee Opera Company, longtime Marcus PAC Board Trustee and Trustee of Milwaukee Public Museum.
Tony is the Past Master and Current Chair of the Trustees of his Masonic Lodge. He volunteered at the VA Hospital for 11 years where he was the deputy Director of Masonic Services.
Tony and his wife Pat are longtime members of the First Unitarian Society where he was a Trustee and served as President for two years. For 57 years, the Busalacchis have been active members on the Lake Park 4th of July Committee (see photo on the left).
In his spare time, Tony enjoys making art, which he has shown in several Door County galleries. He and Pat co-produced “Cultura,” a humanities series, the first local color TV program.
Beginning in 2018 in celebration of his 85th birthday, Tony and Pat began selling their artwork – owned and created – to support furnishing St. Ben’s and the House of Peace. To date they have raised over $200,000!
At Saint John’s Tony is known for organizing both our Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day celebrations as well as our annual making of Snow Angels on the Plaza.
In 1986, the Milwaukee Journal editorial page honored Tony as one of the “The Turtles of the Year” (Turtles stick their necks out), an appropriate appellation for this exceptional human being.
