The inaugural Anthony R. Cannone Memorial Service Award was presented to Smithtown High School West senior MaZhu Van Nostrand during a virtual scholarship awards ceremony hosted by the Smithtown Central School District on June 4th. This award was established in memory of Anthony “Tony” Cannone, who was second in command at the Town of Smithtown Traffic Safety Department. Tony passed away in November of 2019 at the age of 51. Cannone’s dedication and love for the people of Smithtown, inspired his family to establish a scholarship in his memory. Recipients of the award must exhibit Cannone’s attributes and have the potential to emulate his achievements and service to the community.
“I can not think of a better way to honor the memory of Tony than elevating the next generation through scholarship. He was an unforgettable guy to begin with… this scholarship will ensure his good name lives on for generations to come.” - Supervisor Ed Wehrheim
About Anthony Cannone:
Anthony Cannone was a dedicated 30-year employee of the Town of Smithtown Traffic Safety Department, where he rose to the highest rank as an Engineer 3. Anthony was dependable, conscientious, thoughtful, innovative, respectful, generous with his time and talents, and very devoted to his family and friends.
Anthony Cannone began his work with the Town of Smithtown as an engineering assistant. Through his hard work and dedication, he became the second in command and the rock of the Smithtown Traffic Safety Department. He was involved in all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the Department, including the operation of the Town’s traffic signals, the design and placement of the regulatory, warning, and informational signs, the design and placement of pavement markings, traffic engineering studies, and more. As a senior traffic engineer, he was an integral part of the engineering and decision making for the department.
Anthony led by example and his work ethic was second to none. He would arrive at work early and often stay late. When he was given a task, he did it promptly and to its completion. Even when he was in a position of authority, he was not afraid to perform all aspects of the work at the Traffic Safety Department. This earned him the respect of everyone in the department.