MANUEL ANTONIO (Tony) ZURITA
06/17/1926 - 5/27/2024

Tony was born on his father's cattle ranch south of the Orinoco river in Venezuela. The only boy in a home of 7 girls. He was only 3 years old when his father passed away and the family moved to the city of Maracay to live with his maternal grandmother. His childhood progressed under her stern guidance. When she died, they moved to the capital city of Caracas. Here Tony attended High school and Business School and Studied English composition, starting to work at 16 years old. While working in the subsidiary of Standard Oil Co. he decided to travel to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to study Advanced Accounting. Here he met the love of his life, Doris Sanford whom he married just before Christmas of 1949. The couple settled in Caracas raising a family and kept traveling to Texas on vacations.

Later on, at the end of 1959, Tony resigned his job at Mobil Oil and with his own savings decided to move the family to Houston, Texas where he worked on his CPA coaching from International Accountants Society supervised by the University of Houston.

Back in Caracas in 1962 Tony started his career in the Venezuelan iron, aluminum and petroleum industries, becoming a Director in the Ministry of Energy and Mines. He received a medal from the president of Venezuela for the integrity of his work. He retired at the end of 1997 as Executive Secretary of the National Energy Council.

After retiring Tony continued working as Financial Consultant and Certified Public Interpreter, and traveling to Europe and the US. where the couple built a home as permanent residence in Lake Placid, Fl. Tony eventually became a Naturalized American Citizen after selling the house in 2012 and moving to Kansas City, MO, to live with daughter Nikki and her husband Mick.

Up until his later years, Tony enjoyed playing his Spanish guitar and practicing Target Shooting. As a member of the National Rifle Association, he competed in the US National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry. OH, being classified as "EXPERT" in his category "English Match".

Tony was preceded in death by his wife of almost 72 years, Doris Zurita.

Tony died peacefully in Grandview, MO, comforted with the Blessed Sacraments of the Catholic Church. He is survived by his son Michael Zurita of Orlando,Fl, son Jeffrey Zurita of Philadelphia, PA (wife Laura), and daughter Nikki Combs of Grandview, MO (husband Mick). Also, six grandchildren (Fr. Timothy Combs OP, Maria Elena Gonzales, Amanda Zurita, Christopher Combs (wife Maria), John-Patrick Combs and Matthew Zurita) and five great grandchildren (Maya, Penelope, Julia, Claire and Luca).

Services will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Coronation of Our Lady Parish, 13000 Bennington Ave., Grandview, Missouri 64030. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. with Rosary at 11:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00 p.m. Tony will then be laid to rest at Belton Cemetery with his wife Doris.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278