Faye Tolman

Faye Lark Wood Tolman passed on to heaven Wednesday, January 7th 2015. She left peacefully, in her home with family and friends.

Faye was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Ray Tolman and her sister, Maxine Escobar.
Faye is survived by her brother, Jim (Shirley) Wood and sister, Donna Jenks.

She is also survived by her children;
Leann (Maurice) Dineen and their children; Shannon (Nikai) Birchler and step-daughter
Kailah, and Thomas Dineen

Joseph "J." Ray Tolman

Leslie Hill and her children Matthew (Tamara) Hill and their child, Harrison, and Chris
Hill (Kasidy DeWitt)

Larae (Curtis) Flamm and their children Judd (Melanie) Flamm and their children
Judson, Michael, Jared, Amelia and Eloise, Kyle (MiKell) Flamm and their
children, Zachary, Eric, Wendy, Hyrum and Sabrina, Dale Flamm and Emily
(Zachery) Brown and step-daughter, Isabo

Jenifer (James) Sims and their child, Joseph and step-daughter Aria

Faye will be honored at a graveside service to be held on Wednesday, January 14th at 11:00am ,Mountain View Cemetery Section 54 East (1520 South Fifth Street, Pocatello Idaho, South-East Sector).

To honor mom's life long love of reading and the help given her by the Marshall Public Library her children ask that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to the library's Outreach Program in her name. Marshall Public Library, Outreach Services, 113 So. Garfield Avenue, Pocatello, ID 83204.

We appreciate each friend and family members' support during this time. We welcome you to leave a note or memory on mom's page. Please access the Tribute Wall on this page and enter your sentiments where you are prompted to share a memory or condolences. We would love to read and share these stories even if we are not able to be all together just now.

Life Sketch:

On Friday, October 15, 1926 just as the harvest sun said good night, David and Phyllis Wood joyfully welcomed their first daughter, Fay Lark to their happy family. Mother and baby were attended by David's sister, Nurse Ivie Wood. After washing and presenting their beautiful daughter to her happy parents Aunt Ivie placed Fay in her bed--a drawer of Phyllis' home made dresser. Fay's first home was two rented rooms in the Brown home in Liberty, Idaho. A happy baby whose bright eyes preceded her into each room, Fay was the darling of her mother. Phyllis loved to bath her baby, washing her soft curls and dressing her in the latest fashion. Exactly at age five months Fay cut her first tooth while visiting the Hansen's and by nine months the seven pound girl had grown to 22 pounds.

Early years were happy times for Fay watching her mother and playing with her father and grandparents. She especially liked being with her mother in the kitchen making food and treats. Fay's first word, "Bua" (butter) was rewarded with butter on her bread. As words became phrases her first and favorite was "I have a hard awful time". Recording this in Fay's baby book we can imagine the giggles brought to her parents by their funny little girl. The family loved to be out of doors and spent many happy afternoons in Island Park, Yellowstone Park and the Jackson Hole area. During these years Fay welcomed a brother, Jim and then two sisters, Donna and Maxine. She loved being a big sister and was often found reading to her siblings as she learned the book's stories.

During her seventh year, Fay learned the pain of great loss when her father David died. Her mother Phyllis was Fay's hero working to hold their family together. They moved to Montpelier into a small white clap board house which stands today. Phyllis made a happy home for her children and as the oldest, she relied on Fay to help with the younger ones. A short six years later Fay and her siblings lost their mother as well leaving a hole that never fully closed. The children were separated and Fay spent the next years with her grandmother Wood. It was once said that "Grandma Wood insisted we be scrubbed and dressed for church every Sunday. Once services were over Grandma let us play, like hellions, for the rest of the day". During these years Fay continued to learn skills begun with her mom. She read, did embroidery and learned to quilt, braid rugs and crochet.

During her high school years Fay moved to Boise. She made trips frequently back to Liberty and even spent one summer in Pocatello. In Boise and Pocatello she worked for a time in the photo shop of drug stores. She learned to develop and colorize photos and this became a beloved hobby. Even today, her children take great delight in Fay's photos. During her time working at a drug store a young man came into the store with some friends one day. Ray Tolman looked at Fay, her lovely smile and deep pretty eyes and declared to his friend, "I will marry that girl one day!" Fay was about 15 at the time and remembers the young brash boy whom she saw occasionally over the next couple of years and then wrote to as he served their country during World War II.

Fay was an independent thinker and loved having fun. Deciding she did not care for the spelling of her name she changed it; applying for a Social Security card she wrote her name "Faye" and that was that. During these years she enjoyed taking pictures, dressing up and going on outings and "kept company" with a couple of nice young men. Some of her friends were single engine pilots and Faye loved to go flying with them. She did not have to be asked twice to try her hand at learning to fly. On June 17, 1945 seventeen year old Faye earned her wings! This was before she learned to drive and has been a point of pride for Faye and her children. Encouraged by this new freedom she wrote to Washington DC and offered her services as a nurse. Unfortunately, she did not have the needed training so she stayed in Idaho.

Faye and Ray's courtship began with a few group gathering and letters. As Ray entered the service, Faye helped him purchase a camera and film and they continued to correspond and share photos. She even traveled to Pocatello to deliver pictures of Ray to his parents--much to their delight. In a letter to their son, they referred to Faye as a lovely girl. Ray returned from the Pacific Theater and came to Boise to see Faye and propose marriage. The next few happy months were spent finishing High School and making preparations for Faye to come to Olathe Kansas where they were married on September 26, 1945. They made their first home about 45 minutes outside of Olathe while Ray finished his final year of service in the Navy. The severe winter and distance meant many nights Faye was left alone in their rented home and she found this isolation difficult. In one letter, Ray's dad wrote and asked his son to send Faye to Pocatello where she could be with "family". Happily Ray was able to obtain base housing and Faye no longer had to be left alone. After finishing in Olathe, the young couple moved to Pocatello beginning their lives together in earnest. They welcomed their first daughter, Ruth Leann, in October 1947 followed two years later by a son, Joseph (J.) Ray II. The young family enjoyed time together and mother Faye loved taking pictures of them.

After welcoming her first two children Faye suffered health problems. She again found it a "hard awful time" but was determined to be a good mom and build a life for her family. She recovered and the family grew again in 1954 with the birth of a girl, Leslie Faye and the next year with another girl, Susan Larae. The growing family came with ever greater responsibilities; Faye did her part by working at Montgomery Ward in downtown Pocatello. A member of the Retail Workers Union Faye took pride in her ability to help her customers. Among her favorite moments were afternoons when her oldest daughter, Leann, would meet her at the store and together they walked and talked their way home. With good friends, Alice Anderson and Tina Tyler many picnics, camping trips and square-dances were planned for the growing families. We children still remember pleasant evenings looking over the balcony railings down at the whirling skirts and happy feet of our parents moving to the caller's whims. Happy in their life, family and work Faye and Ray bought a home on Cherry Street and settled in. In 1959 change again came to them as the Civil Service job held by Ray gave the couple the option of moving or getting a new job. As a couple they decided to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area, along with several other Pocatello families. Faye set up house in Alameda on Buena Vista Avenue in the upper apartment of a converted Victorian.

Faye found her new home and state to be an active one. She enjoyed outings to the beach, attending plays, picnics and movies with both friends and children. Besides working again at Montgomery Ward she loved finding time to read and enjoy the rose garden in the back yard. The early years in California were social ones for Faye. Getting ready for work or to go out her daughters thought she was very glamorous. The family found a home to purchase on Willow Street and they settled into the routine of a growing family and being neighbors. Mom often went to help our neighbor, Mrs. Swanson. Once after her husband died she stayed with Mrs. Swanson all day as we waited to hear if the Tsunami from Alaska would adversely affect the very flat island of Alameda. Luckily, we had no problems and Mrs. Swanson was always grateful for mom's compassion. They remained good friends and neighbors for many years.

During the California years mom served in many positions in the Alameda Ward of the LDS church. She helped young girls and later the women as the Relief Society President. She enjoyed acting in plays at the ward and in its many fund raising programs, including Friday Ward Potluck dinners. Faye often brought baked goods to these dinners and they were enjoyed by all. Whenever a bake sale to earn Young Women's funds took place, her daughters looked to Faye to help them make items which would sell quickly. Faye enjoyed interacting with women at the Stake level and one year helped ensure the LDS General Conference in Salt Lake City had beautiful flowers by donating all her own Calla Lillis which were driven overnight to Utah by Sister Christensen for the weekend's sessions.

During the Vietnam War Ray was assigned to work in the Philippines. Mom took on the task of taking care of four children by herself. She likely reflected many times on her own mother's challenges and did her best to keep up with busy teenagers. Ray returned and the family was happy to be together again, celebrating the first night with ice cream cones and Foster Freeze! Soon Faye found that the family was to grow again and at the age of 42 she gave birth to her fourth daughter, Jenifer Lynne, October 1968. The whole family loved Jenifer and treated her like their very own doll baby. As mom remembered what it was like to raise a little girl the family moved rapidly forward. J. graduated from high school, Leann finished college and planned marriage to her sweetheart, Maurice Dineen. They planned a December wedding and Faye became involved in all aspects of the wedding. It was a beautiful event with parents giving their first born to a new family. To her surprise, Faye gained a whole new family and enjoyed many holidays together with the extended Dineen clan.

During the next few years changes became the norm. Leslie finish high school, moved out, went to college and then on an LDS Mission to Germany. J. moved into his own apartment and each of his visits was accompanied with tales of great adventures. J. had a love of photography and talked often with mom about different techniques. Mom even helped J. use some of her developing equipment. Larae's sweetheart returned from his mission and they planned a spring wedding in 1977. Leslie returned from her mission just in time to help sew dresses and the whole family was involved in making Larae's day picture perfect.

Jenifer was now in school and things looked pretty settled until the day Ray came home and announced he qualified for early retirement. They could now move back to Idaho and reconnect with friends there. During 1979 Ray organized a new home in Chubbuck and began a new career teaching at Idaho Vocational College. Mom stayed in California with Jenifer until early 1980 when the three moved to Idaho and life's next chapter. They came to California for Leslie's wedding in August and then back to get Jenifer and Ray in school.

The return to Idaho brought the sadness of leaving many good friends from the church, in the neighborhood and those Faye worked with in California. This also meant leaving her grandchildren and Faye was quick to invite all to visit her soon in Idaho. Idaho gave Faye the opportunity to make many new friends, spend time with old friends and family. Friends helped Faye feel at home back in Idaho. With Jenifer, Faye and Ray traveled every summer and enjoyed time at their cabin in Island Park. These were Golden times for Faye as she joined the ladies book club with her sister-in-law, Vera Tolman; quilted with the local guild and learned new fun crafts like making plastic bags into braided rugs (still in use around the Tolman home). She enjoyed a large yard and the many flowers Ray planted as well as fruit from the apple tree.
Jenifer grew and found her own interests; schooling, friends and then marriage to her sweetheart, James Sims in the summer of 1996. Faye enjoyed being a part of Jenifer's Pocatello wedding and knew it meant her girl would then move to the South East with James. Faye found herself for the first time a true empty nester. She enjoyed her friendships, reading and home crafts. Most at ease in her home, Faye continued to enjoy many home bound activities with Ray. Summers brought welcome visits from her children and with their own fun, happy children as well as trips to visit family and attend reunions. In 1995 after a fun Wood family reunion in Montpelier, Faye's children treated her and Ray to a trip to Park City to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. It was a time for Faye to watch her grandchildren play, attend a production of South Pacific and be honored along with Ray for her long and successful marriage at the Lion House in Salt Lake City. She even played one day at Lagoon in Farmington!

Faye's entry into the Twenty-First Century was marked by many happy events and some sad ones. Her friend and sister-in-law, LaVerna Wood passed and later her sister Maxine returned to heaven. Grandchildren, Judson Flamm, Shannon Dineen and Kyle Flamm were married and new families were begun. Her daughter Jenifer welcomed their son Joseph Warren to the Florida sunshine bringing Faye her ninth grandchild. The years also realized a decline in her energy levels as she was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension. In 2005 Faye celebrated her sixtieth anniversary with her sweetheart Ray, her children, grandchildren and an oxygen tank. She and Ray continued to welcome family to Idaho, keeping visits on the quieter side. Because of the kind assistance of Jamie and Jenifer Sims and the aid of Maurice and Leann Dineen both Faye and Ray were able to attend the wedding reception of Matthew and Tamera Hill in Provo in 2007. This proved to be their last big trip. Faye longed to be with family as they met in Cannon Beach and attended Emily's wedding in Portland. She continued to enjoy the many pictures of her growing family and to communicate with family over the phone.

By 2009 both Faye and Ray's health was declining, keeping them home most of the time. Faye rediscovered her intense love of reading. Thanks to the Marshall Public Library Outreach Program Faye always had a good supply of books to enjoy. At times she would read 15 books a week! In August of 2011 Faye had to say "Goodbye for now" to her dear Ray; husband, sweetheart and friend. A short while later a visitor asked how Faye she was doing. She replied that Ray was 88 when he passed so she figured she had another four years in her. She almost made it. During 2014 Faye experienced a few illnesses and although she recovered from each, they took their toll on her frail body.

This past summer and fall found Faye still reading and happy to receive company. She was able to meet her youngest great-grandchild, Harrison Hill and spend the afternoon with family. During this Christmas season Faye was able to use her walker to come into the living room and visit with many who came to share the holiday with her. She delighted in watching Kyle's children receive her gifts and play at her feet. She even met Sabrina, their beautiful little red-headed baby. Faye received many gifts this past Christmas, each a statement of love and care from the heart. She was most grateful for the love they represented.

On January 7th, Faye had a full day. She got up for her breakfast with the help of her wheelchair. She later got up to shower and have lunch with her wonderful helper, Kelly Eldridge. In the afternoon she worked on her breathing with her nurse, Joanne. That evening she and Leslie worked on her breathing together. Shortly thereafter Faye was ready to re-unit with her sweetheart Ray and her beloved parents. She took her leave in the way she lived, quietly and with great care. She was attended to with love by her daughter, Leslie Hill; best friend, Mary Blanchard and devoted nurse, Joanne.