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Dr. Anthony ‘Tony’ DiBiase, 83

Dr. Anthony “Tony” DiBiase, 83, passed peacefully Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at home with his family in Hayden Lake, Idaho, after battling oral cancer for 15 years.

Tony was the fourth child born to Marco and Anna DiMarcello DiBiase in Philadelphia, Pa. He had an older sister, Anita; two older brothers, Vincent and Frank; and two younger brothers, Domenic and Mark, whom he loved to play sports with, tell jokes to and have lively discussions with at every family gathering.

After high school and one year of college, Tony joined the Army from 1954-1956 and he was deployed to Kagnew Station, Asmara, Eritria, where he held top security clearance and was a dental assistant. During this time he was inspired to become a dentist, so after he left the military, he attended Washington Missionary College (Columbia Union College) in Takoma Park, Md. At this time he met the love of his life, Dorothy Dudosh, a nursing student, in psychology class. They were married June 22, 1958. He attended Howard University, School of Dentistry, where he received the prestigious OKU Award from the National Dental Honor Society when he graduated in 1964. He then moved to Damascus, Md., where he established his private dental practice for 33 years and where they raised three children, Russell, Sheree and Shelly.

His love of sports and the game continued, and he started coaching elementary through high school sports. When his own children entered high school, he became involved with Capital Boys and Girls Club baseball and softball as a coach and then became a high school basketball coach for boys and girls at Takoma Academy in Takoma Park for more than 10 years. There he mentored hundreds of high school athletes that nicknamed him “Doc” or “Coach.” He was a firm, but gentle presence and he could be caught laughing, consoling and pushing these young people to find their purpose in life. He knew that sports were just a game, but he felt they could teach life lessons that would give them strength to be good men and women throughout their adult life. This has been evidenced for many years, as his athletes would return to high school reunions with stories that “Doc” and sports had taught them. He was so proud of all of his athletes and he talked about them often.

Tony was on the Board of Trustees for Washington Adventist Hospital and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital for 25 years and he helped encourage the development of the Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Shady Grove, Md., in 1979. He was passionate about getting good medical care into upper Montgomery County, which was a rural area at the time.

Tony and Dottie were founding members of the Damascus Road Community Church in Mt. Airy, Md., and were active members of that church for more than two decades. He participated in the Water Boyz for Jesus, a faith based men’s ministry which does community service outreach projects, and also sang each year in the 100 Man Choir, which was amazing to hear. He lived in Hayden Lake for the past nine months during his cancer treatment and attended the Anthem Church in Hayden, Idaho.

Anthony was preceded in death by his parents, sister and two older brothers. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy DiBiase; his eldest son, Russell and wife Kathy, their two children, Dustin and his wife Carly, and Shane; his daughters, Sheree and her husband Greg, their three sons, Cody, Kyle and Cole, and Shelly and her husband Bill, and their three children, Gabrielle, Lucas and Lindsey.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, May 26, 2017, at the Anthem Church in Hayden, with fellowship after the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift of remembrance to the Dr. Anthony DiBiase Foundation for Oral Cancer, 2170 Ironwood Center Drive, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83835.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Anthony’s online memorial and sign his guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.