Thomas Guy Buscemi

Thomas Buscemi, 84, West Jefferson, OH, passed away peacefully in hospice on Monday, June 2, with Judy, his loving wife of 30 years, by his side. He is known far and wide as the charismatic owner and operator for over 50 years of Ann & Tony's Restaurant in West Jefferson. Tom's humor, kindness, and delicious food brought joy to countless people and families over the years, and many folks have wonderful stories to share about their experiences with him and the restaurant.

He is survived by his wife Judy, sons Tom (Karen), John, and Tony (Megan), daughter Lisa (Chad) Hilliker, step-daughter Jodie Pearson, and stepsons Jack (Donna), Jeff (Ruth), James, John, Joel (Lori), Joe (Megan), Jason, and Jevon (Shannon) Pearson, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers Bill (Colleen) Buscemi and Michael (Susan) Buscemi, his first wife Dorothy (Bittner) Roberts, stepson Joshua Pearson, and nephew Michael Buscemi, jr.

Tom had lived in West Jefferson since the age of 5, when his parents, Ann & Tony moved there from Columbus to open their restaurant. At the age of 14, as the middle child in a devout Catholic family in the 1950s, he was set on the path to priesthood and sent to the Josephite Collegiate Seminary in Newburgh, NY. He spent 6 years there and obtained his associate degree. After deciding not to become a priest, he left the seminary and graduated in 1962 from The Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in Classical Languages. This is where he met and married Dotti. He worked a wide variety of jobs, including building a house and teaching High School French. He eventually ended up back at the restaurant, his true calling, and in 1972, took over ownership from his father Tony. He was a Renaissance man who had an incredible knack for finding solutions, no matter if it was a food, an organizational, or a mechanical problem. Ann & Tony's great meals were a result of him re-working family recipes, importing a pasta-making machine from Italy, and always serving home-cooked food. He loved visiting with customers, and nothing made him happier than a chance to escape the kitchen and wander around the dining room to chat. His sharp wit and sense of humor endeared him to many, though his habit of talking with his hands probably caused many a mishap with the wait-staff. He was extremely generous due to his love of community; donating his time and money to numerous school and town functions. His spirit of generosity can be seen in his final act of donating his body to science at OSU.

In lieu of flowers, please send your well wishes, and come join us for a Celebration of Life at Ann & Tony's Restaurant on Sunday, June 15th, 2025, between the hours of 12 and 2 pm.