On Jan. 13, Anthony Donato, known to family and friends as Tony, passed away in Wellesley, Mass. Donato was a graduate of Pratt Institute with a B.F.A in Industrial Design. A fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society, he was the former senior product designer at Lightolier where he invented tracklighting, holding the first patent awarded in 1961. Throughout his career he designed lighting fixtures for the track system, called Lytespan, and obtained 32 U.S. patents for the product line. The luminaires he designed are still found today in museums, galleries, retail spaces, and homes worldwide including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Funeral services were held Jan. 18. In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, NE Chapter, 480 Pleasant St., Watertown Mass., 02472.
