Seattle’s Tony Ventrella: ‘A great and honorable man’

I have known Tony Ventrella for 30 years. He worked for me when I was news director at KCPQ-TV.

In a business of cutthroat competition, Tony was always a great and honorable man. He always showered people with compliments and helped wherever he could.

Tony’s personality was so upbeat that it bordered on the cheesy. But, I can attest, he meant every word.

The mark of a man is what he says and does when other people aren’t paying attention. Tony was kind to everyone. He always had a spare moment and a listening ear.

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Tony was one of my heroes in the business. He approached his job with attention to quality. He knew his facts and was particularly careful with stories that may have been critical of someone.

At one time or another, he worked for every television station in Seattle. He was known for his sportscasting, but many people may not have known he was a morning news anchor for me. The news director before me had hired Tony and left the station before Tony arrived. The general manager asked me if I minded that Tony was coming aboard. I not only didn’t mind, I was thrilled not only because he was a great broadcaster but also because he was such a positive force in the newsroom.

He could never understand why anyone wouldn’t want to do their best at anything.

A lot of people didn’t know he was his barber. His father was a barber back in New York, and if I’m not mistaken, his grandfather was a barber before him.

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Tony would always tell me that some of the best conversations he ever had were while cutting someone’s hair. And he loved having conversations. He loved getting to know people.

When he moved away from broadcasting, he dedicated his life to public service. He ran for office a couple of times. Tony was always involved in charitable organizations. Whenever I was at an event, Tony was there, shaking hands and telling stories.

I never knew him to have his phone out. When he spoke to you, he gave you his full attention. He was always coming up with ways to help people and he never slowed down.

I only wish I could be half the man Tony was.

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The last time I saw him, he came through KIRO Newsradio doing a commercial for a client. It was the first time I had ever seen him look frail. He was battling cancer and it looked like it had gotten the best of him. Even then, he told me he was doing fine and wasn’t worried about it.

I believe most people want to leave a legacy when they leave this earth. Tony Ventrella definitely did. He loved his friends and family and he taught me, as well as others, what it truly meant to be kind. He will be missed by me and thousands of others. Tony’s time on earth was a life well lived. We will remember him through his acts of kindness and the positive way he saw the world. Rest in peace, Tony.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.