Anthony Scott Dye

                Anthony Scott “Tony” Dye passed away suddenly December 10, 2021 at St. Clare Medical Center, Princeton, IL most likely due to unknown cardiac issues. He was 59 years old.

                Tony was born on July 31, 1962 in Princeton, IL to Russell and Carol (Curley) Dye, the very youngest of all the Dye cousins. He married Kris (Bickett) Ferrari on December 30, 2008 in Princeton. She survives.

                Tony was raised in Princeton and proudly graduated as a basketball stud with the Class of 1980. Go Tigers! He began his employment career as an adolescent working the counter of his family’s business, The Greasy Spoon, on Main Street in Princeton. In high school he worked other jobs as well. He loved to tell today’s youth about how he could stay out all night partying and but was still able to get up for work at 5:00am. Later, he was an operating engineer at Monterey Mushrooms for 28 years.

                Tony was, to say the least, a sports enthusiast. Aside from being a high school jock, in his adult years he play in several slow-pitch softball leagues and was infamous for hitting one onto the roof of the Malden school. He caught the ball right handed but pitched and batted left-handed. He bowled (right-handed) on the Tuesday night Route 6 league and golfed (left-handed) on the men’s league at Indian Hills Golf Course in Tiskilwa. He played Busch League pool (left-handed), and played pitch, euchre, 3-card and Texas Hold’em (dealt right handed). He participated in many parlay cards and 13-run pools and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

                But Tony valued most of all the friendships he’d made throughout his life. He was a man large in stature standing 6’5” but was well known as a gentle giant. If Tony liked you, you knew you had a true friend for life. One of his favorite things to do was to drive around the county dropping in to visit friends.  He also truly loved his weekday “meetings” with his buddies at the P.I. where data was collected in order to strategize on how to save the world. For these reasons and many others, he will be truly missed by all who knew and loved him.

                Tony left behind his wife, Kris, of Princeton, daughter Ashlee Dye of Malden, stepdaughters Alison Ferrari of Kihei, Hawaii and Lauren Ferrari of Princeton. He is also survived by his step-grandchildren Garrett, Tessa and Harlee, trusty sidekick Apollo, brother Kevin “Louie” Dye and cousin-like-a-brother Jim Dye, sisters-in-law Kelly (Fred Kimberley) Bickett and Kani Bopes, brother-in-law Kim (Debbie) Bickett, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Tony was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, in-laws and canine companions Babe, Duke and Charlotte.

                A celebration of life followed by dinner for Anthony “Tony” Dye will be held Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Princeton Moose Family Center, 1339 N. Euclid Avenue, Princeton, IL. Cremation rights have been accorded and interment will be at a later date. Grant-Johnson Funeral Homes, Inc. of Princeton is handling arrangements.  The family requests that in lieu of flowers y’all have a beer for Tony.  Online condolences may be sent to www.grant-johnsonfh.com.