Individual Details

Death

On May 28th, three days before his 79th birthday, Anthony “Tony” Hardine Tonga of Faribault was swept away into the arms of Jesus, surrounded by his loving family. Tony was a creator of love who built and fixed everything life presented to him. Tony’s gift was to serve and preserve. There was never a project too big or too small. Tony could do it all. He loved nature, fishing, beekeeping, running, building, fixing. He lived a full throttle life. He never missed an opportunity to serve the land, the people around him, and this country. Tony served in the Navy honorably, serving two tours in Vietnam, and had a lifelong love for his country. Tony dedicated countless hours to his community through his work at St. Vincent De Paul and was an active member of Divine Mercy Catholic Church and the local Harley chapter. Tony loved the outdoors and shared this passion with those around him. As an avid runner, Tony completed 26 marathons. He built and ran a resort on Mille Lacs Lake and had a 30-year career as a Minnesota State Park Ranger. He loved his family deeply, and there was no distance too far to travel to be there for them, especially if that meant an opportunity to jump on his Harley. Tony is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Ramona Tonga, children, Randy (Shannon) Longseth of Cloquet, MN, Teresa (Steve) Thompson of Faribault, MN, Kelly (Steve) Bullock of Madison, WI, Andrew (Rita) Tonga of Faribault, MN, Erin (Charles) Eltonga of Mankato, MN; grandchildren, Jessica (Tyson) Taghon, Blake (Jamie) Halvorson, Jenna (Cody) Fuchs, Kayla Halvorson, Parker Huizenga, Rose, Rachel, Benjamin, Luke, and Joshua Bullock, Samuel and Tara Longseth, Alexandra, Tyler, Isaac, Arianna, Scarlett, Eva, Dominic, Elijah, and Lucy Tonga, Simon, Victoria, and Crosby Eltonga; great-grandchildren, Hallie and Tanner Taghon, Ella and Ames Halvorson, Calvin Fuchs; brothers and sisters, Cledith (Darlene) Tonga, Donna Bell Oakland, and Jolene (Larry) Johnson, and stepsister Ardis Waldron. He was preceded in death by his parents, Knute and Bernice, stepfather Herman Behrends, siblings Clifford Tonga, Geraldine Cushman, Shallia Buntrock, Bernadine Lathem, Merlyn Tonga, Ardell Tonga, and stepbrother Russel Behrends, stepsisters Ruby Longseth and Lolene Welinski, and grandchild Sierra Eltonga. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, June 2, 4-7 p.m. at Boldt Funeral Home in Faribault, MN. Funeral and Military Rites are planned for Friday, June 3, 10:30 a.m., at Divine Mercy Catholic Church, in Faribault, with visitation one hour before service. Burial will be held at the Calvary Cemetery in Waseca with a motorcycle escort from the church starting at 4 pm.