116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Tony Vespa
Age: 50
City: Iowa City
Funeral Home
Lensing Funeral Home and Cremation Service
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Tony Vespa
Tony Vespa
Iowa City
With heavy hearts, we share the passing of someone deeply cherished-our father, son, brother, brother-in law, uncle and friend.
Tony was born on June 6, 1974 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to John and Anne (Storck) Vespa. Tony graduated from Washington High School and then attended the University of Iowa.
Tony served as vice president of Heritage Property Management and was in the process of buying the company.
On June 12, 2004, Tony married Shelby Warford and to this union, one daughter, Ava was born. The couple later divorced but remained friends.
In his spare time, Tony enjoyed working on his golf game, visiting Riverside Casino, watching sports, especially da Bears, and hanging out with his friends. He cherished watching Adam Sandler movies with Ava and attending her many cheer competitions over the years. Ava was the most important person in his life and being her father was his greatest joy.
Tony is survived by his mother, Anne; stepfather, Denver Dvorsky (who renamed him “The Prince”); daughter, Ava Vespa; brothers: John (Peggy) Vespa and David (Lesley) Vespa; stepsister, Dana (Andy) Messenger as well as five nieces and three nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, John.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service is assisting the family with arrangements.