William H. Tobin

1946 - 2020

William H. Tobin died peacefully at home after a long illness on April 22 in Bristol, RI at the age of 73.

Bill is survived by his wife of 37 years, Jennifer; children Quinn Tobin (Samantha) of Middletown, RI, Brendan Tobin (Nina) of Swansea, MA, Nell Melanson (Joe) of Portsmouth, RI; sisters Katie Mackie (Glen) of Omaha, NE, Trudy Barry (Tim) of Waukee, IA, Nora Reyna (Tim) of Portage, IN, brother in law Wayne Marshall of Corvallis, OR; his seven grandchildren, and eight nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Pat Marshall of Slidell, LA.

Bill was born on October 5, 1946 in Chicago, IL to Robert and Ellen Tobin. His childhood was spent enjoying time on his grandparents' farm and developing an affinity for his beloved White Sox. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard College in 1968, and moved back to Illinois to study law at the University of Chicago. Those studies were interrupted when he was drafted into the US Army. He served as a private and graduated at the top of his Vietnamese language school class. After Vietnam, Bill had three children with his first wife Jean Sullivan, and built a successful law career in both Chicago and Hammond, IN, where he served as a beloved mentor to many. In his spare time, he volunteered with various gardening organizations and the Lincoln Park Zoo, where he and Jennifer met. They later married, and their life together revolved around gardening and volunteer work. Their summers and holidays were spent with Quinn, Brendan, and Nell.

A multifaceted man, Bill expertly upheld the law, while simultaneously demonstrating a devious tendency for cheating at cards and telling fantastically tall tales. He was a formidable opponent in Trivial Pursuit, and held a deep affection for history, the folk music of the 1960s, Irish culture and bagpipes.

Bill was a Master Gardener who shared his immense knowledge and passion with everyone he met. He was fond of saying, "I'm a gardener first, and a lawyer second." Notably, the Master Gardeners named Bill Educator of the Year in 2007, and gave him the Golden Shovel Award in 2009. His keen wit and knack for timing rings true even in his passing. He died on Earth Day.

In 2015 Bill and Jennifer moved to Bristol, RI, where they enjoyed filling their new garden with native plants and vegetables and spending time with their grandchildren, attending games, plays, or just hanging out. Bill will be greatly missed, but we are blessed with the many valuable lessons and wonderful memories he's left behind.

In lieu of cutting flowers, we imagine that Bill would want you to do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for some poor unfortunate soul or other living thing in his name. So plant a tree, tell a child that you're 102 years old, or that you stole the car you're currently driving.

The family would like to thank the Visiting Nurses Association for their expert care and kindness. A memorial service will be held at a later date, when family and friends can gather together in celebration of his life.