Anthony V. Ehmann, “Tony”, of Phoenix, AZ passed away peacefully on January 2, 2023 at the age of 87. Tony was born on September 5, 1935 in Chicago, IL
to Anthony and Frances (Verweil) Ehmann. His family moved to Phoenix in 1945, where he attended St. Mary’s High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State. Tony earned his law degree from the University of Arizona. As a daily communicant, he met his wife Alice at the Newman Center. Tony’s proudest achievement was convincing Alice to marry him in 1959. They moved to Phoenix where together they raised their six children.
Tony was a devout Catholic who belonged to the Order of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. As a Knight of Malta, he traveled to Lourdes to serve the sick many times including taking each of his six children there to participate. He actively assisted in fundraising to assist local parishes, the sick, and the poor. He attended daily Mass and truly lived his faith with compassion and humility in his daily life.
Tony was a well respected lawyer and recognized across the country for his impact on estate planning and tax law. He practiced law and was a licensed CPA for 52 years before his retirement in 2012. His philanthropic work continued well beyond his retirement. His impact with the Diocese of Phoenix, the Diocese of Gallup, and the Catholic Community Foundation (of which he was a lifetime board member) was inspirational. His position as an active member of numerous boards, including the Boy Scouts of America, Arizonans for Children, and St. Vincent de Paul will long be remembered. Tony was active in the Boy Scouts of America for decades, including eleven years as the well respected Scoutmaster for Troop 329, 40 years as the Council Financial Chairman, the Theodore Roosevelt Council president from 1987-88, and member of numerous boards on the National and Council level. He was the longest tenured member of the Council Executive Board. The awards and recognitions he was presented with from various organizations are far too numerous to list.
Tony had the heart of an explorer. He shared his love of the outdoors with his family with numerous camping trips in the White Mountains. These extended throughout his life to include his grandchildren. He also enjoyed exploring other cultures which included travels through Mexico, Canada, and Europe. On the international family trips, he always enlisted the aid of tour guides to ensure that there was educational value and was sure to visit the local churches.
Tony is survived by Alice Aviña Ehmann, his wife of 63 years, and their six Children, Ann Marie (Greg Shen), Tom (Mylen), Jerry (Cathy Mikkelson), Greg, Rose (Tom Knapp), and Rob (Donna) and 26 grandchildren – Andy, Elizabeth, Gerard, Timothy, Mary Clare, Katherine, John, Christina, Victoria, Alexandra, Jordan, Bobby, Danny, Aleena, Natalia, Gabriela, Joe, Katrina, Therese, Alexia, Molly, Isabelle, Jack, Joy, Chad and McKenna. He is also survived by his siblings Ed (Betsy), Margaret, Jim (Sharon), Marianne (Herve) Lemire, and Joe (Georgia). He was preceded in death by his brother Bernie.
The funeral Mass will be held at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church on Saturday, January 14th, at 10:30 am followed by a reception at the Church Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Catholic Community Foundation in memory of Anthony Ehmann (480-651-8805), St. Vincent de Paul, the Boy Scouts of America, Arizonans for Children, or Honor Health Foundation Research Institute.
Michelle Clark
Tony was a loving husband & father!! Always enjoyed seeing them at church
Our condolences & prayers go out to your family!
Liliana Cox
I have always remembered our summers in Phoenix with Aunt Alice and Uncle Tony. They’re fond childhood memories that I have never forgotten and will never forget. Summers always included swimming, playing pool, eating good food, and sitting in the living room with them both while they had some wine and Uncle Tony joked with all of us. He had the best laugh!
Rest in peace Uncle Tony….. we love you and will always remember you❤️
Ben and Trish Rowland
Our Condolences to the family of your loss. May God Bless you and give you strength at this time.
Sherrie Lyons
I first met Mr. Ehmann years ago and am glad I recently had the opportunity to interact with him again. He was an amazing human being. You have my deepest sympathies for your loss.
Michael Avina
Tony always always cared so much for his family, his faith, and all those he could help. He was a determined brilliant man who always have his best!
Rosalie Lechuga
My Condolence to the family of your loss. I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Ehmann for a lot of years. He was an amazing person who will be truly missed. May God Bless you and give you strength at this hard time. My deepest sympathy goes out to the family.
Mike Rooney
Tony was a lifelong Scout and his contributions to both the Theodore Roosevelt Council and the Grand Canyon Council were substantial. I won’t be able to make the service, but it is important that his love of Scouting be acknowledged. Mike Rooney
Joseph George
What an incredible life. I aspire to achieve a fraction of this personal and professional success. May the angels welcome him to a well-deserved rest
Dinah Bahlman
My sincerest condolences to the family for your loss. I had the privilege of working with Mr. Ehmann from 1979-1995. He was an amazing person who gave so much of himself to his work, his church and his community. May God Bless you and give you strength at this hard time. My deepest sympathy goes out to the family.
Neil Hiller
Tony was my law partner for over 30 years. I never knew a more reliable, honest and humble man. His legacy is the many lives he impacted in the most positive ways.
Greg Garrett
I was fortunate enough to have Mr. Ehmann as my scoutmaster for all of my years in scouts – over 40 years ago. We had one of the largest troops in AZ, and he and several great men made it a fantastic adventure. I remember his constant encouragement, his Sunday morning sermons in beautiful settings and, most of all, his laugh. He helped me learn many lifelong lessons, often the hard way. I will be forever grateful for his patience and the time he took to make my Scouting experience extraordinary.
Rusty Foley
Tony was our family’s lawyer for decades, managing both the legal needs for my father’s business as well as our personal needs. His advice and his estate planning work was particularly important, and enabled my mother to live comfortably for 25 years after my father passed in his mid-60s. He was a man who truly lived his faith, and his personal concern for clients like our family was clearly evident. My prayers and thoughts are with his family. May he rest in peace.
Ernest Calderón
I just saw this, today the 29th, and grieve that I didn’t get to say goodbye or to attend the service. Tony was an exceptional person. I was honored to work with him in the EOHSJ, Catholic Community Foundation and the Grand Canyon BSA. Tony left this world better than he found it. RIP, Ernie