Anthony P. Baratta, Jr. Service Information

Born October 10, 1940; Died February 6th, 2024.

For the last 10 years of his life, he was a resident of St. Joseph’s Manor. The Baratta family is grateful for the compassionate care he received. We’d especially like to thank Kathleen Falcone for her special warmth and kindness.

For the past 17 years, since suffering his first major stroke at age 66, he has been sick. But even those years could not diminish the memory of the firebrand that was Anthony P. Baratta, Esquire for the 66 years of vitality that preceded it.

The only child of the now deceased Anthony P. Baratta Sr and Sophia (nee Rogus), a graduate of St. James High School in Chester and LaSalle College, he went on to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1965. He married Dolores (nee Altomari) (deceased) in 1963 and together they had five children, Anthony J. (Trish), Angela Kearns (Tom), Adam (Charlotte), Andrew (Noelle) and Anita Householder (Keith), all of whom survive him along with 13 grandchildren (Maggie, Kristen Weiss (Josh), Nicco, Dante, Devon, Holly, Luca, Grace, Deacon, Sophia, Kayden, Mac, Giabella) and one great grandson, Harrison.

After his divorce to Dolores in 1991, he later married Alla Kroutaia, from whom he became divorced after his first stroke.

After law school, he was the very first law clerk to a newly elected Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Judge James McDermott, who, later became a Supreme Court Justice for whom son, Anthony J, also clerked for as his first job after graduating law school himself in 1989. He briefly worked for the legendary courtroom cowboy James Beasley and engaged in partnerships and affiliations with some great trial lawyers over the years, including John F.X. Fenerty, Sr., Ray Takiff and Nick Lisi.

He was also an entrepreneur. He started many small businesses, and he especially loved to be involved with restaurant ownership. He may have never cooked a meal himself in his lifetime, but he made sure to surround himself with people who knew food. He became a partner in a number of different restaurants over the years including Pouchos in Kensington, Amici’s on Erie Ave near St. Christopher Hospital and Zio Mio on Castor Ave in Northeast Philadelphia.

He was a man of stories. He would have a story ready for any occasion or event. He had a great capacity to remember a joke and when appropriate, he could pull one relevant for the situation. He might not remember a name though, a weakness he would cover up with a hearty “hey sunshine” or “how you doing big-guy”. He had a capacity for language, ready with phrases in Italian, Greek, Hebrew and Russian. When he ate at a restaurant, he invariably would order by asking the server, “what would you be having if you were eating with us tonight?” At any birthday or celebration, he would offer the toast, “may this most happy day be the unhappiest day of your life”. He would offer the sage advice of “be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.” We all wish and pray that Anthony P. Baratta Jr. now can be at peace.

Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life at St. Joseph’s Manor Nursing Home located at 1616 Huntingdon Pike, Huntingdon Valley, PA on Thursday, February 22, 2024 for a reception at 10 a.m. and a mass at 11a.m., followed by light refreshments.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Laurel House, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence.

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