Anthony Joseph “Tony” Raffo of Spartanburg, SC passed away Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at the age of 82. Tony was born November 7, 1942 in Vineland, NJ.
He graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1960 and graduated The Citadel in 1964. He married his wife, Mary Ellen, in 1965 in Beaufort, SC and has lived in South Carolina for 60 years. He taught chemistry and science at the High School of Charleston for one year and then took a job with Burlington Industries for six years. In 1972 he took a job with Milliken & Co., where he worked in manufacturing & marketing for over 20 years. He also served as Corporate V.P. of Human Resources for six years and rose through the ranks to Division President of the Automotive and Elastic Fabric Division, where he served for six years and reported directly to Roger Milliken.
In 1992 he participated in an LBO with Merrill Lynch Capital Partners and Chatham Manufacturing until 1995, where he was President. He founded Home Express, Inc. in 1995, a Rent to Own company with one store in Greenville. Nine years later, in 2004, he sold 27 stores that employed 160 people to Aarons. In 2004, he founded RIMS USA with the first store in Greenville, SC. The company now operates 25 stores and employs nearly 300 people in four states. He is also involved in other business ventures with his partner of over 25 years, Barney Gosnell. The one thing that Tony was most proud of is that these companies provided employment for over 300 families for most of the last 20+ years in the Carolinas, GA & TN.
Tony is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Ellen, his brother Richard Raffo (Sharon), two sons Joe Raffo (Nancy Davenport), Chris Raffo and his wife Amy. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Anna, Abby (Austin Kuehl), Nicolas, Luke and Maddie.
The family would like to say a special thanks to Comfort Keepers for their loving care of Tony, especially Kandi Nash, Kelly Wilson, Pam Dobbins and Alice Gearhart.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 25, 2025 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. A Celebration of Life will immediately follow at the Piedmont Club.
In memory of Tony, contributions may be made to Mobile Meals of Spartanburg, PO Box 461, Spartanburg, SC 29304.
J. M. Dunbar Funeral Home & Crematory