CARLOS LEE TOLLESON

"Tom" passed from this earth early in the morning on Monday January 26th in peace and he was followed six days later in the evening of Sunday February 1st by "Jinny" his beloved wife who ran as fast as she could to catch up with her "guy" to be together in heaven with their Creator. She too passed peacefully with her daughter Glenda and her son-in-law Roy Newton by her side. This occurred in Sugar Land, Texas where they resided the last four years to be near to and to be cared for by Glenda and Roy. Prior to that they were longtime residents of San Diego. "Tom" was born on March 14, 1917 to Robert and Bessie Tolleson in Kirby, Arkansas. He grew up in Amity, Arkansas where he excelled in his studies and in athletics through high school and he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March of 1936 with his characteristic ambition and drive to make a contribution. "Jinny" was born on December 9th, 1920 to Leo and Helen Malaby in Colorado Springs, Colorado and she grew up in Southern California. "Tom" was fortunate to be stationed aboard ship in Long Beach where he met "Jinny" while she was a telephone operator. They began to pursue a lifelong passion for ballroom dancing together and they eloped (with family approval!) to Las Vegas where they were united in marriage that would last for 74 years on December 16, 1940. They were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Glenda Lee, the following year. World War II came upon them and "Tom" continued his career in the Navy while "Jinny" worked at being a full time mother and homemaker on the run traveling to whatever port "Tom's" ship put into. "Tom" advanced through the enlisted ranks as fast as possible and was commissioned an Ensign in the unrestricted line in June 1942. He served on the USS Colorado (BB-45) and the USS Bennington (CV-20) during the war including being an Officer-of-the Deck during battle stations. At the wars end, "Tom" and "Jinny" embarked on the next chapter of their happy and fun joint pursuit of family and Navy life with Glenda in tow. "Tom" transferred to the Supply Corps in June 1946. He had numerous duty stations over the next 20 years starting with the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D.C., Long Beach Naval Shipyard, CA., and the Naval Ammunition Depot, Guam. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin for two years where he studied Business Administration. He next had duty at the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts and the Provisions Office in Washington, D.C. and then attended the Harvard Graduate School of Business where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master's Degree in 1958. The next 8 years took the Tollesons to duty on the USS Leyte (CV-32), to Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet in Coronado, CA as a student at the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA and lastly as the Force Supply Officer, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, London England. He was promoted to Captain during this tour and retired in October 1965. Both were close parents to their special daughter and "Jinny" was the epitome of the Navy wife of a long standing tradition with her own special flare that was indispensable to "Tom". They then came to San Diego where "Tom" was a Trust Officer for Security Pacific National Bank for over 12 years. He left for a brief respite and then joined First Interstate Bank in early 1979 for over three years until April 1982. "Tom" joined the Goodwill Industries of San Diego as a Director in 1974 and served as Chairman of the Board from 1985 until 2011. He was also 3 times the Chairman of the Council of California Goodwill Industries and the recipient of the 2001 Chairman's Award from Goodwill Industries International. "Tom" was also very active in the San Diego Downtown Kiwanis club for over 40 years and a strong supporter of the Washington Lincoln Laurels for Leaders Program that provides scholarships to San Diego area high school student body presidents. In his spare time, he was an avid golfer. "Jinny" had several interests of her own, the major one being the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.). She made major contributions in fund raising efforts to support educational programs for women. She enjoyed playing bridge with her circle of friends who met on a regular basis over many years. Together, they were members of several dance clubs and for a long time were season ticket holders to the San Diego Chargers. "Tom" and "Jinny" were active members of San Carlos United Methodist Church. They always provided support, friendship and love to Glenda and Roy and were most involved and almost obnoxiously profuse in their support of their three grandsons, Michael, Robert and Christopher to whom they are forever endeared. They are also survived by three close daughters -in-law, Katie, Jennifer and Kara and by ten great grandchildren, Wesley, Kristen, Haley, Drew, Dillon, Noble, Wyatt, Tess, Juliet, and Christopher Newton. "Tom" and "Jinny" will long be remembered as warm and genuine to those they were privileged to know. "Big Papa" and "JaJa" will forever be in the hearts and minds of the family they so loved. A memorial service will be held at Colonial Oaks at First Colony at 13825 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land, TX 77478 at 2PM on Friday, February 27th. Their remains will be buried at sea in a joint urn at a later date by the U.S. Navy.