First Posted: 1/17/2014
Maybe you didn’t know his name. Maybe you did. One thing for sure is that a fixture around the Lima community died quietly at 6 a.m. Jan. 11.
For the majority of his life, Anthony “Tony” Salyers lived around Indian Lake, where in his younger years, he could be found roaming its shores, speaking to everyone he met. Later he was a staple at Indian Lake High School athletic events. He paced the sidelines with the best of them during football games and could be seen running out to get the tee after a kickoff. When basketball season arrived, Tony was on the court supplying the team with water.
Tony was always there to help and support.
In 1973, Tony hired in as an assembler at Lima Ford Engine Plant and made the commute to Lima every day from his home in the Lakeview/Bellefontaine area. After making the drive to Lima for close to 20 years, Tony decided to relocate to Lima to cut down on his drive time.
That is where his legacy in Lima begins.
Most residents of the Lima area who frequent the Lima Mall have spent time with Tony whether they knew him or not. He was the guy with the OSU jersey under a sport coat with a Buckeye skull cap on. Sometimes in cold weather he would add to his wardrobe a full-length overcoat.
After his health began to fail him, he had to quit driving and relied on others for transportation. For any of the hundreds of people who ever gave Tony a ride from one place to another, I am sure he was truly grateful. Sometimes he might forget to tell you that, but most of us knew.
Tony retired in 1993 from Ford and continued to be a proud member of United Auto Workers union Local 1219 until the day he died.
Tony was a huge fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Reds. Following sports was his life. To his final Browns’ game, he would call friends and bark after every Cleveland score. He could remember players’ names and numbers from 50 years ago. The Reds caravan coming to Lima was a major event for him. He could remember license numbers from vehicles long removed to the junkyard.
Tony didn’t know a stranger and was a simple man in a complicated world. He lived in several locations in Lima, finally ending up on South Metcalf Street where he died that Saturday morning.
The obituary placed in The Lima News was a small one. It didn’t come close to telling the story of Tony Salyers.
There was a funeral service in Lakeview on Wednesday and Tony was buried in the Huntsville Cemetery, but for those of you in the Lima area who knew Tony, this is an attempt to give honor to a man who never really cared about being honored. He was as loyal as a man could be. He did not judge people based on age, color, social status or religious beliefs — although if you were a Pittsburgh Steelers or Michigan Wolverine fan — he would express his displeasure, but not in a hateful way.
Recently, Tony had found a new way of seeing and visiting friends and strangers alike. He would go to the east side Wal-Mart and cruise around on one of the electric buggies that are available to those who need help getting around.
Yep, that was Tony Salyers. Do you remember him now?
There are not many times that an 8-year-old boy weeps at the coffin of a 62-year-old man to whom he is not related, but that happened Tuesday night because Tony had that impact on children.
I think there is a quotation somewhere in the Bible that said, “Blessed are the innocent.” That was Tony Salyers.
So for anyone who ever gave Tony a ride or loaned him a quarter or two, your life is better for it.
Rest in Peace, Tony.
