Gibsonburg man finding purpose, enjoying life at 99

        Faith and patriotism have defined Tony Picciuto throughout his life.
        The 99-year-old Gibsonburg resident is still holding true to those values and is going strong as he spends much of his time these days making small, wooden crosses in his garage.
        Picciuto uses a gel pen to draw an outline around a wooden cross and then runs the wood under a scroll saw to create the finished product.
        “When you cut that many, you can almost do it blindfolded,” he said. “I’ve changed designs several times, (and) everybody seems to like this design. I’ve been making them for nine to 10 years. I’ve made over 26,000. It takes me almost two hours to trace, cut, sand and stain 10 crosses.”
        He makes about 50 crosses per week.
        “I want to represent Jesus,” said Picciuto, a Catholic who goes to St. Michael’s. “He died for us on the cross, that’s the main thing.”
        Picciuto has donated crosses to dozens of states and dozens of countries as well, and to a number of organizations like local EMS units, firehouses, doctors’ offices, hospice units, nursing homes, churches, hospitals and to complete strangers. He keeps track of the people and organizations he has donated crosses to in a notebook.
        “I’ve gotten so many thank-you cards,” he said. “People tell me, ‘It’s a great ministry what you’re doing, and we’re blessed to know you.’ It’s kind of embarrassing at times.”
        Picciuto credits his friend Allan Williams, who owned a local sawmill, with providing the milled wood for him free of charge. (Sadly, Williams passed away two weeks ago at the age of 79.)
        “We became great friends – I knew him from church,” said Picciuto. “I started making crosses and got wood from him. Before that, I made about 1,000 birdhouses out of that wood.
        “My wife, Martha, had cancer and died 34 years ago, and I had to do something or I’d go nuts, and this kept me going,” he said. “‘Keep moving,’ that’s my model. I’m going to make these crosses as long as I can.”
        Picciuto is the father of five children, one of whom, Larry, died four years ago from cancer. He also has 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
        A member of the “Greatest Generation,” he is one of 10 members of his family to serve in the armed forces. His father, Dominic, fought in World War I and was awarded three bronze stars. Picciuto and his brothers, Mike and Jim, were in World War II with Picciuto stationed in Guam. His brother, Sam, fought in Korea. Picciuto’s son, Paul, fought in the Vietnam War. Three of his nephews — Jason, Mick and Thomas — and a niece, Krista Demarest, served in the military, too.
        For now, Picciuto will continue to preach the gospel by handing out crosses.
        “If I meet a stranger, no matter where I go, I hand 'em a cross,” he said. “And if they take it, it makes my day."