Anthony J. “Tony” Magliari 1930- 2016

Former Sierra Sands school superintendent Anthony J. “Tony” Magliari passed away at his home in Ridgecrest, California, on June 14, 2016, at the age of 85. Born in Los Angeles on October 5, 1930, Magliari, the son of an Italian immigrant, graduated in 1948 from George Washington High School, where he served as student body president. While attending Los Angeles City College Magliari enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserve and was called into active duty during the Korean War in 1951. Honorably discharged three years later, Magliari resumed his studies at UCLA where he earned his BA degree in 1955. That same year, he married Dorilee June Woodworth and moved to Torrance, California, where he began his career in public education as a 5th grade teacher at Peter Burnett Elementary School.
After receiving his M.Ed. from UCLA in 1959, Magliari relocated the following year to Riverside where he taught 6th grade at Arlanza Elementary in Arlington before serving three years as the principal of Wells Intermediate School.

In 1964 Magliari moved to Tahoe Valley, an unincorporated community that soon became part of the newly formed city of South Lake Tahoe. There, Magliari became principal of South Tahoe Intermediate School (1964-1965) and then performed double duty as Associate Superintendent of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District while serving as principal of South Tahoe High (1965-1966). In 1966, Magliari became the district superintendent, a post he held for 14 years. During his tenure at Lake Tahoe, Magliari earned his Ed.D. in School Administration from the University of Southern California in 1971.

After leaving South Lake Tahoe, Dr. Magliari served as superintendent of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District in San Diego County (1980-1983) before finally moving to Ridgecrest to become superintendent of the Sierra Sands Unified School District in 1983. Magliari continued to reside in Ridgecrest following his retirement in 1991. Always active in the community, Magliari served on the board of directors of the Maturango Museum and the Rotary Club of China Lake, where he was named a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary Club International. He also served on the City of Ridgecrest’s Construction and Appeals Board and the Community Arts Council. In addition, Magliari was a member of the Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert, the China Lake Tennis Association, and the China Lake Community Concert Association.

Magliari was preceded in death by his parents, Fortunato “Frederick” Magliari and Jennie Tecca, and by his sister Esther. He is survived by his wife Dorilee; his brother John; his sons Michael (Karen Nissen), Gregory (Cindy), and Dana; his daughter Diana (Tom Campbell); and his four grandchildren Dominic, Jesse, Monica, and Dante.

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 on Saturday, July 30, at St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, 446 West Church Avenue, in Ridgecrest. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to a favorite charity.