Fallen Sanibel officer’s funeral open to the public

The funeral for Officer Anthony Neri of Sanibel Police Department is scheduled for noon Wednesday, May 15 at Saint John XXIII Catholic Church in Fort Myers.

“I can’t believe im not going to see him smile and wave at me,” neighbor Shelia Zuhusly said of Neri.

Neri died at Health Park Hospital Monday of natural causes after he collapsed during a training exercise with SPD.

“It’s like we lost a family member,” Police Chief William Dalton said. “So it’s very, very traumatic for our police department.”

Neri began his career with the police department in 2012 as a police aide. In 2015, Neri was promoted to police officer.

”Whenever the hurricanes came around, we always had an open line to Tony’s telephone,” neighbor Don Abbott said. “And we’d say, ‘What’s the latest Tony?’ And he’d always tell us the latest report with that.”

Prior to joining the SPD, Neri had a 30-year career as a revenue officer with the U.S. Department of Treasury. He also had worked three years as a police officer with the Union Township, New Jersey Police Department.

“They should remember him as a true professional, a constant professional, a caring person,” Dalton said. “He loved the community of Sanibel, and the community loved him back.”

The funeral is open to the public. The church is on Palomino Lane. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel Island. 

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