Obituary of Anthony Mark Alexander Pone, Sr.

Anthony Mark Alexander Pone, Sr, born to Renee Allen and Anthony Ali, passed on to eternal life on Sunday, December 17, 2023, and our hearts are little less bright, but we know the Heavens are filled with extra doses of love and laughter. Anthony was a loving and devoted husband, father, son, brother, and caregiver. He had a MILLION DOLLAR SMILE that would light up a room. He was born on July 26, 1979, in Camden, NJ. He grew up in the Fairview section of Camden and attended HB Wilson Elementary and Morgan Village Middle Schools. He attended and graduated in 1997 from Pennsauken Technical School where his lifelong passion for computers and information technology began. He attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Computer Learning Center (CLC) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He graduated from Camden County College in Blackwood, New Jersey in 2003 and from Pierce College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2006. Anthony began his career with the State of NJ in 2001 consulting as a technician during which time he saw a posting for a job. He began supporting the technical needs of the Trenton Community Services office for DDD as a state employee. After his supervisor moved on, he assumed the role of site supervisor for both Trenton and Freehold's IT needs. He was assigned someone to assist and began wearing his mentor hat. The office relocated several times between 2003 and today, he was there for all 5 changes ensuring the offices were fully operational. As technology has changed, Anthony adapted. He has gone from Technician Specialist to Administrative Analyst to Network Administrator and, for the last 5 years, he has been the division’s IT Security Officer, responding to cyber threats through the various monitoring methods used by the state to keep machines and data secure both in the office or when working remotely since COVID. He became a father in 1999 with the birth of Anthony. In that same year, he met the love of his life, Leandra, late one night on AOL Instant Messenger, using his screenname, Buddy Love. He used that name because he said, “you’d start as a friend but once you knew him, you’d fall in love.” And Leandra did! They were married in 2007 and built a life together in Lindenwold, NJ. He expanded his family in 2009 with the birth of their twins, Mason and Gabriella. Anthony was a natural leader and inspiration to many. He was humble but full of life and loved to laugh. Nothing brought him more peace and content in life than simply being a good husband, father and person. He has been a caregiver to his grandfather for many years. He had a love of cars, especially the classics. He was an avid gamer and had a large following online from years of playing and he formed solid relationships with his “Crew.” He loved to sing and discover “good” music across genres but his love for classic R&B and ballads was unmatched. Anthony leaves to cherish his memory: his wife of 16 years, Leandra; three children, Anthony, Mason, and Gabriella; grandfather, Bobby; parents, Renee and Anthony (Dietra); siblings, Anthony, Raffael, Sakisha, Robert, Tina, Tiffany and Toinelle; goddaughter, Selah; mother-in-law, Pamela; sister-in-law, Danielle; brother-in-law, Andre (Emily); special aunt, Maria; special uncle; James (Nichet); cousin, Laron (Udo-Chi); friend, Latresha; and a huge loving family of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Anthony is predeceased by his grandmothers, Mary, Betty Jean, Sahliyah; grandfather, Fisher; cousin, Takeena; and best friend, Brian. Anthony’s memory will forever remain in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing him.