Anthony Owen Bacon

Anthony Owen Bacon was born on a snowy day, November 30, 1960, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the late Leonard and Gwyneth Bacon. He died unexpectedly on May 31, 2026, surrounded by family and friends.

Anthony was raised in a loving, blended family and lived almost his entire life in West Philadelphia, a neighborhood he loved. It also was the perfect neighborhood for the large and diverse Bacon family.

Informally, he was educated on the streets of West Philly and in the woods surrounding French Creek State Park. His formal education began at Saint Frances De Sales School and continued at the Henry C. Lea Elementary School. He attended Community Voyage High School and earned a GED. At the Delaware Valley School of Trade, he learned the plumbing and carpentry skills he used as a Maintenance Superintendent and Property Manager for Metropolitan Management Company, Presidential City Apartments, and Cornerstone Group. He also worked for Vann Construction and as a self-employed independent contractor as the CEO of Home Owners Maintenance Experts (HOME). His last position was at the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging’s Firehouse Active Adult Center.

Anthony was devoted to his family, who called him “Reennie.” Keeping a promise to his father when he died in 2001, Anthony lived with and cared for his mother until her death in 2018. The birth of his daughter Michelle in 1978 was the greatest joy of his life and her death in 2006 his greatest sorrow. He also endured the loss of his brothers, Michael Gray and David Gray; his sister, Linda Bacon Bass; and his foster sister, Alishall Gadson.

In the last year of his life, he found love and happiness with Dorcine McNeil, whose adoring family called him “Mr. Tony.”

He was a founding member and “O.G.” of KCD-Klub City Decorators (if you know you know). There and on the streets of Philadelphia, he was known as “Jazz.” He wrote poetry and loved plants, reading, music, cooking, and entertaining. A die-hard Eagles Fan, he was the life of every party and, in the last years of his life, created porchlife# with his lifelong friends, whom he loved as brothers. He was a prolific Facebook user, made friends everywhere he went, and always had a smile and warm hug for family whether by blood or love.

He leaves to cherish his memory: his beloved Dorcine McNeil; siblings Christopher Gray (Susan), Leonard Bacon II, Lisa Bacon (Deanna), Daniel Bacon (Candi), Thalia Bacon, and Chanel Gadson; nieces Toni Waddington, Felicia Harrison, Davi Fiona Gray, Tameka Bacon, and April Finkley; nephews Kermit Garcia, Spencer Gray, Forrest Gray, and Grahm Bacon; numerous related and chosen cousins; and countless friends.

His ashes will be interred at Old Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia in a private ceremony.

His Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026. It will include live music, spoken word, a DJ, dancing, tagging, and good food. A location and time will be announced when confirmed.

In lieu of flowers and to honor his memory, please consider giving someone in your life, who may need it, a little help or donating to:

Project Home

1515 Fairmount Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 232-7272

https://www.projecthome.org

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