Anthony Marsalese
October 13, 1958 - May 18, 2026

Anthony Marsalese lived life to the fullest – embracing every day as a new chance to be creative, to be of service, to love his family and friends and, perhaps most of all, to be kind.

Anthony died on May 18 after a brain aneurysm, with his husband, Jeff Davison, at his side. They were together for 38 years. Family and close friends were with him throughout his final days.

Anthony’s enormous talent was matched only by his generous heart. His remarkable spirit shined light on everyone he encountered. He made everyone feel they were special to him, whether he’d known them for years or for minutes.

Anthony was born in Detroit on October 13, 1958. He attended Wayne State University, where he studied music – playing the trumpet, singing and playing piano, passions that persisted throughout his life. He attended Interlochen, sang with the Detroit Scola Cantorum and was honored as an official Michigan Bicentennial Musician in the state-sponsored ensemble The Sounds of ’76.

But with the encouragement of his uncle, the late Nino Genna – a father figure to Anthony and a legend in the Detroit hairdressing community – he chose a career in cosmetology, where he excelled. After working for his uncle, Anthony opened his own salon, called Antonino Salon, where Jeff has long been a fixture, first as a stylist and now as owner.

Expanded today into Antonino Salon & Spa, in 2025 the business celebrated 40 years of not only making clients look their best but treating them like members of an extended family – which includes the many family members and friends who have worked there over the years. Anthony’s passion for learning and constantly improving his own skills inspired him to infuse training into the salon’s philosophy, helping every member of the staff become an exceptional stylist. He will forever be remembered as the best employer anyone could hope to work for, and the salon’s community outreach ran the gamut from nonprofit donations to providing free services for people experiencing hair loss from chemotherapy or alopecia.

Anthony also helped shape the beauty industry as a member of Intercoiffure America/Canada and twice president of Americoif of Detroit – two leading associations for hair stylists. Anthony and Jeff were a driving force behind Americoif for many years.

But Anthony’s creativity extended far beyond the walls of his salon. Anthony spent many years performing and working backstage at St. Dunstan’s Theatre Guild of Cranbrook, playing some of theatre’s greatest roles, including Sweeney Todd, Salieri in Amadeus and Georges in La Cage Aux Folles, all alongside Jeff. He also starred in A Man of No Importance, directed by Jeff, in which he gave a heartfelt portrayal of the character Alfie Byrne, in addition to many other memorable roles. Anthony shared his talent for hair and makeup behind the scenes at St. Dunstan’s, and served on various committees throughout the years. His musicianship flourished outside the theatre, too. Anthony rekindled his love for piano in 1998, and loved to play for friends and family, especially during the Christmas season.

A more recent and notable creative pursuit was Anthony’s ceramics work. After taking one class 40 years ago, he returned to ceramics classes in 2013. As in everything he did, Anthony excelled in the craft. The 2024 International Design Exhibition & Marketplace at the Metropolitan Museum of Design Detroit featured artists with ancestors from Finland, Poland and Italy, including Anthony, whose work was also exhibited at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC). Anthony had his first group art exhibit showing his ceramics in March 2026 at Robyn Gallery in Detroit entitled “Check the Erratum.”

A steadfast leader in the Birmingham business community, Anthony often volunteered his time for the betterment of all. In 2025, the Birmingham Community House named Anthony the year’s Pillars of Vibrancy Culture honoree for his accomplishments in the arts. Yet despite decades of honors, Anthony always remained humble.

As hard as Anthony worked, he also made time to relax, with the cottage he shared with Jeff on Grand Lake in Presque Isle being one of his favorite places to unwind during the summer. They were also adventurous travel companions, with Thailand, Cambodia,

Puerto Vallarta, Corsica, Bali, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and Sicily among some of their favorite trips. Anthony’s curious mind and friendly manner made him an enthusiastic visitor to new destinations, always eager to learn about new cultures, embrace new experiences and delight in new cuisines.

Anyone who ever enjoyed a meal prepared by Anthony knows what an incredible cook he was. When he was in the kitchen, he always had a smile on his face – savoring both the process of cooking and of serving what he created to the people he loved, whether it is just for Jeff or a house full of people.

Of course, his beloved Jeff held the biggest space in Anthony’s enormous heart, but he had no shortage of love to give to his family. Anthony was predeceased by his mother Lillian DuFau; father Bernard Marsalese; stepfather John Deyoub; and brothers Robert Marsalese and Henry Marsalese. He is survived by his sisters Rebecca (Kirk) Freeman and Marie (Ron) Williams; brother Larry (Pat) Marsalese; niece Annette (Sam) Abdelfatah; and countless dear friends. And no one doted on their pets more than Anthony, who was a pet papa to many dogs over the years with Jeff.

Anyone lucky enough to know and love Anthony understands how it felt to be in his positive presence. He was the quintessential people person: unfailingly gracious, generous and eager to make you the center of attention, when he could have easily stolen the spotlight with his charming, warm personality.

Anthony’s legacy – in the hair and fashion industry, in the arts, in the community – is eternal. The gifts he shared with the world are an eternal reminder of the brilliant and kind man who didn’t just make people look their best. He made them feel their best, because he saw the good in everyone he met.

Visitation will be held at Lynch & Sons at 1368 N Crooks Rd. in Clawson on Friday, May 22 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.. Funeral services will be held at Holy Name Catholic Church at 630 Harmon in Birmingham on Saturday, May 23 at 10 am with pre-visitation at 9:30 am.

For those unable to attend Mass, it will be livestreamed here. 

Anthony’s family requests that donations in his memory be made to two charities that foster artistic expression in young people. One is Kintsugi Village, a holistic education center in Detroit whose name means “join with gold,” which is the Japanese art of repairing broken objects, often ceramic pottery or glass. Donations can be made here: https://kintsugivillage.org/donate. The second is the Detroit Harmony project of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, a citywide collaborative effort to strengthen Detroit’s music education opportunities for every child, including providing them with instruments. Donations of gently used instruments and financial gifts can be arranged by contacting efaryniarz@dso.org or donating at https://tickets.dso.org/support/donate and noting the purpose of your donation. Donations to the charity of your choice are also appreciated.