William Anello

William Frank Anello died peacefully in his sleep at the Mountain City Care & Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday morning August 19. He was born Nov 14, 1940 in Garfield, NJ to the late Angelo and Dorothy Anello. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War from 1963-65. He moved to Miami in the late 60s and began work for the TV series Flipper as a diver and liaison to the Miami Sea Aquarium. After the show ended he served as a Paramedic/Fireman for the Sweetwater Fire Dept. He later worked at the county Morgue and then for the Sweetwater Police Department as a handicap parking enforcement officer. In his later years he worked for the Florida Boxing League as first a referee and when his health became bad as the time keeper. He was known as the Candy Man for always having a bowl of candy at ringside for the fighters. He was proud to be honored in 2017 and inducted into the Florida Hall of Fame Boxing League. Bill was also a noted magician who specialized in close up Magic and belonged to several Magic rings including Magic City Conjurers and Syd Bergson, ring 45 Miami. He was also a lifelong member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. A broken wand ceremony, a salute to a passing magician, will be performed for him at the September meeting of ring 45.

Bill was preceded in death by the love of his life, who he found late in life, Layla, his best friend Ron Mitro and his niece Judy Thompson.

Those left to cherish his memories are his niece Michelle(Brian) Sheehan, nephew Paul Harris, 3 great nieces, 5 great nephews, a daughter, Christine Harting, a son, Michael Anello and 3 grandsons, Kieran, Cameron & Evan. Bill will be especially missed by his good friends Trish, Bill, Scott, Bruce, Patty and in Florida Rick del Vecchio and the entire Ring 45, Ken Hilton, and Sgt Dennis Hernandez. 

There will be no service at Bills request but his friends will have a celebration of life at a later date. A life well lived, a friend remembered always

Online condolences and memories may be sent to the family at www.huxlipfordfh.com

Hux & Lipford Funeral Home is honored to serve the Anello family.