March 29, 1948 – Nov. 2, 2024

Anthony Gerardus Verkouteren, 76, of Altadena passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Nov. 2. He was known to some as Tony or Gerry but to those closest to him he was Dad, Uncle or Opa.

Anthony was born on March 29, 1948 in Surabaya, Indonesia to Henri and Cecilia Verkouteren. The family moved to the Netherlands in the early 1950s then to the United States soon after, sponsored by a family belonging to St. James the Less Catholic Church in La Crescenta. They settled into a home close to the parish. 

While growing up, Anthony and his younger brother Michael would walk to the church early Sunday mornings to altar serve at the first Mass.

In 1963, Anthony graduated from St. James Elementary and started high school at Pater Noster in Los Angeles. He transferred to Crescenta Valley High School and graduated with the Class of 1967. He joined the USMC and served for two years as a wireman for the 3rd Marine Division, which was stationed at Da Nang Air Base in Vietnam. He continued his military service back home in the National Guard until 1972.

Using his wireman experience, he obtained a job with the Glendale Public Works Dept. repairing telephone lines; after sustaining a work injury, he completed his education at Citrus College and transferred to the Building Inspection division. He also met the love of his life, Lilia, around this time and purchased his first home in Pasadena, upgrading a decade later to their current home in Altadena.

Although work and fatherhood kept him busy, Anthony still made time to coach and volunteer for AYSO Region 88. He even managed to start a business, Affordable Property Inspection, and helped many potential homeowners. Anthony also briefly worked part-time at OSH near his childhood neighborhood.

Upon retiring from the City of Glendale after 30 years of service, to stay active he worked as a school bus driver part-time for children with special needs.

Anthony is survived by siblings Eleonore Brown and Michael Verkouteren. He leaves behind wife Lilia; son Carlos (Mary Ann) Novoa; daughter Sonia (John) Reading; son Casey Verkouteren; and grandchildren Anthony and Marc Novoa, and Kylie and Ava Reading.

A funeral service will take place on Tuesday, Nov.  26 at 10 a.m. at St. James the Less Catholic Church, 4651 Dunsmore Ave. in La Crescenta.

Military burial and interment will be at 1 p.m. at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.