Anthony Michael Burdette

Anthony “Tony” Michael Burdette, age 47, of Salesville, passed away on December 31, 2025, in Punta Gorda, Florida, after a long, courageous, and hard fought battle with cancer.
Tony was born to Lonnie “Toad” and Doris (Lent) Burdette on November 13, 1978, in Cambridge, Ohio. He was a 1998 graduate of Buckeye Trail High School and Mid-East Vocational School where he studied Machine Tooling. Throughout his life, Tony worked for Lumi-Lite Candle Company, JIT Packaging, Carter Concrete, Ohio Bridge, and Quanex. He was also taught to weld by his dad, and he used that skill all throughout his life.
He was an outgoing, curious man who loved to talk to people. He loved learning about new topics from anyone he could. He loved going to the Guernsey County Fair, and the Quaker City Festival. He loved working outside and always had a project that he was working on, and plans in his head for the next one. He loved board and card games, and was always researching new ones to try. He loved his cats and spoiled them endlessly, and he was always up for bringing another one into the family. When he was relaxing in his chair, he would always have several cats sleeping on him.
In 2024, he started volunteering at the Buckeye Trail Elementary School. He spent his days assisting Mr. Strasser with the gym classes. He truly loved hanging out with the kids all day and always came home with fun stories about them. He listened to them and would try to help them solve their problems, or encourage them if they were struggling with something.
He married the love of his life, Ashley (Archer) on April 10, 2010. They welcomed a daughter, Kaylin, in 2014, and a son, Rowan, in 2017. He loved his family with everything he had, and fought to stay with them for as long as he could.
Sadly, he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in late 2016, which began his 9 year journey with cancer. He was cancer free in 2018, but his cancer returned in his lung in August 2019. He fought with everything he had for the last 6 years, through chemo, a broken hip, and brain surgery due to a cancerous tumor. Unfortunately his cancer continued to progress until his body just couldn’t fight any more.
Tony is preceded in death by his parents, maternal grandparents (Clint and Emma Lent), paternal grandfather (Harold Burdette). He is also preceded in death by several of his beloved kitties Cocoa, Oreo, Miss Puss, Gypsy, Trixie, Gumby, and Little Guy.
Tony is survived by his beloved wife and children; a sister, Jill (CJ) Gilcher; his paternal grandmother, Marie Burdette; an uncle, Roy (Carol) Burdette; a niece, Callie Gilcher; several cousins, Seth (Kelly) Burdette, Casey Burdette, Allison Burdette, Noah and Nora Burdette, and the entire Thornton Family from Columbus, Steve, Wendy, Jenni, Ryan, Megan, Kari, John, Ashley, Hayden, Stephanie, Emily, Jack, Sophia, Elijah, Ayana, Ella, Luke, Landon, Charleigh, Vivian, and Nathan; found family, Jackie, Kyle, Kylie and Layken Cochran; in-laws, Mark and Stacy Wise and Cody and Kierston Archer; a lifelong friend Brad Klein; and several more beloved kitties, Teddy, Thor, Minnie, Butters, Whiskers, Mittens, and Sammy.
A celebration of life will be held at Buckeye Trail High School Auditorium 65555 Wintergreen Road Lore City, Ohio 43755, on January 17th, from 1-3 pm and the service will be at 3 pm officiated by David Wiley.
Memorial donations can be made in Tony’s name to Maddy’s Cat Rescue in Cambridge, Ohio. Tony’s online guest book and tribute wall may be viewed and signed at www.bundy-lawfuneralhome.com.