Dale G. Toner

With her loving family at her side, Dale Goehringer Toner passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. She was 68. Dale is survived by her husband James Toner III and their three children; Mary Toner and Kathleen Toner of Providence, RI, and James Toner IV of Manchester, NH.
Dale was born to Ernest and Helen Goehringer in Bryn Mawr, PA. The youngest of six children, she attended Ursinus College receiving a Bachelors Degree in Biology and Boston University receiving a Masters Degree in Biology. She followed her dream of coastal science at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution where she joined the laboratory of Dr. John M. Teal, researching biogeochemical functions of coastal systems (salt marshes) throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. As a Research Assistant, her research took her to Corsica, Denmark, Peru, and Antarctica. She worked extensively along the coastlines of Falmouth and the other Cape towns. She oversaw Falmouth Pondwatchers, the citizen-based monitoring program that formed the basis for the Massachusetts Estuaries project.
She became active in the local community, mentoring students interested in Marine Science, judging school science fair projects, and working with teachers within the Iditarod Education Project. As a Falmouth Youth Hockey coach, she met and married her husband Jim, raising three young children attending Falmouth Public Schools. They spent summers at their beach house in Sandwich, and winters skiing in Maine. As a family, they traveled annually to Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and Norway.
After a 20 year career at WHOI, Dale joined the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, Coastal Systems Program.
Her responsibilities included oversight and coordination of specific research projects and financial operations of the
Coastal Systems Program. She also oversaw recruitment of interns and work-study students. She served as Coastal Systems Program liaison to municipalities and agencies. She loved her work, and she never retired.
The family grew up in Falmouth, where they became involved with the Falmouth Militia, Falmouth Historical Commission, and Falmouth Commodores. Her hobbies included hang gliding, skiing, mushing, and board sailing which unfortunately ended during her 25 year battle with multiple sclerosis, but didn't dampen her love of blue grass music. She was a long term member of the Woods Hole Golf Club.
Dale was a social and energetic participant in many activities with friends and new acquaintances alike. She had a wide range of interests and loved to learn. She participated with her children in the class and band rooms from first grade to high school, enthusiastically supported their sports teams, engaged in scouting, and visited their college campuses for numerous activities.
Visitation will take place on Friday, September 13th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Chapman Funeral Home, 475 Main Street, Falmouth. A Funeral Mass will take place on September 14th at 11:00 a.m. at Corpus Christi Parish, 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich.
Donations may be sent in her name to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.