It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Tony de Bie who was part of the De Bie and Sons Nursery in Gary, IN and one of the businesses that built the green industry in Northwest Indiana. INLA member Tom Allen, Allen Landscape in Highland, shares his memories of Tony and remindsus of Tony’s contributions to our industry in its early stages.
Tom’s personal comments:
Well with respect and sadness I am passing on the loss of a long time nurserymen friend ‘Tony de Bie’. Many of the nursery & landscape people in Northwest were acquainted with the De Bie and Sons Nursery on Ridge Road in Glenn Park area of Gary. My acquaintance began with them early 1970’s. I believe they were a founding part toward the beginning of our local Northwestern Indiana Nurserymen Association, which is still in existence today. In no small part our career success is made possible by the sharing nature of our industry. That is certainly the case for me. This is some thing very especial the nursery & landscape business world. I contribute much of my interest to investing myself in this industry to my early mentor-ship early years with Tony and his father and of course his brother Paul. I might add as we all get older, wiser it becomes more important to remember from where we came and who we traveled with along the way. Good bye Tony, safe journey and as I am not in a hurry, I will see you soon.
Anthony C. “Tony” de Bie
October 7, 1934 ~ March 21, 2021 (age 86)
Anthony C. “Tony” de Bie, 86, of Gary, IN, passed away Sunday, March 21, 2021. He is survived by: sons Larry (Kelly) de Bie, and Chris (Sabrina) de Bie, grandchildren Haylie and Mason, brother Paul (Mary) de Bie, sister Mary (Fred) Grabek, and many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by: wife Mary, and parents Peter and Maria de Bie.
Tony was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to the United States with his family after the war. The family worked hard and were able to start a business in having their own nursery. They were very successful and were outstanding members of the community.
– Excerpt from his obituary. Read full obituary here
