Delbert Corwin Tobiasson

Delbert Corwin Tobiasson, 88, passed away on January 10, 2023. He will be remembered for his love of animals, especially horses. He was a kind, gentle man that everyone loved.

Corwin was born at home on Nov 16, 1934 to Delbert and Dorothy Tobiasson in Logandale, Nevada. His grandpa, Neils Tobiasson, owned a dairy farm there. Corwin started milking at age four. He rode his tricycle while his mom carried the milk buckets. His grandpa made a dam in the creek and set up a generator, which was the first electricity in the valley. Corwin was the oldest child; his mother called him her "right arm." He was always wiping noses and changing diapers and would be seen with his arm around a brother or sister, talking to one of them.

His favorite uncle, Dwayne Seckinger, and Dwayne's wife, Joyce, came to Logandale and watched Corwin for a long time as he drove a tractor. Joyce commented on how Corwin "liked to play on the tractor." His mom said, "He's not playing. He's disking, getting the field ready to plant." He was nine. He learned at an early age the value of hard work.

When he was not working, he could be found riding his horse in the desert, as long as he was home to do his chores. He enjoyed chasing wild burros and horses on the mesa. He raised a colt and trained it to ride. He hunted and brought home many things for his mother to cook. One year, he shot an old goose and brought it home for the Thanksgiving dinner. The goose was tough, but his mother was very grateful to have a goose for the dinner. Corwin's dad told him that he couldn't waste anything he shot; instead, he had to bring it home for his mom to cook. This proved to be a trial one day when he shot a duck over the lake. He honored his dad by obeying; he had to strip down and swim out in the freezing water to retrieve the duck.

In high school, he was a star athlete in basketball, track, and football. He set a record in the Las Vegas tournament in high jump. He was sincerely disappointed in the new "Fosbery Flop," named after one of his teammates in the area. He thought that the flop was cheating. Corwin was also captain of the basketball and football teams.

Corwin met Ella when the Tobiassons moved into Ashland, Oregon from Logandale. Loya, Corwin's sister, and Ella became good friends. Corwin and Ella dated casually a few times.

He joined the Navy at the end of the Korean conflict. He served on the USS Uvalde AKA-88 and then on the USS Montrose, then came home on another ship. He was a machinist mate and had many stories from those times. Navy life became difficult when, in three days, the sailors ran out of fresh milk and had to use powered milk. Resourceful, Corwin asked anyone going ashore to bring him some milk. One at a time, a buddy would come in, wake him up, and give him his milk until he thought he would burst.

Corwin and Ella married January 22 1958 in the Las Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had four children: Rob, Mont, Mike, and Lynae.

Corwin held many positions of responsibility. At age 31 became branch president of the Coquille branch. Every night he and his counselor went to visit one or two families in the branch until he met everyone. He was very loved and respected, and he grew to love and rely on the Lord.

He was Scoutmaster and took the Scouts on a 50-miler down the Rogue River. Twice, he and the Scouts did weeklong survival campouts where everyone survived. He loved the outdoors and being with the young men. He took them on many camping and fishing trips.

He graduated from OTI (OIT) in 1963 in Klamath Falls Oregon, where he learned his commercial refrigeration, air conditioning, and heating skills. This was his lifelong career. He loved meeting people and using his skills to help others. He worked for many companies between Gold Beach, Coquille, Sacramento, and Salem Oregon.

Corwin loved to fish and hunt, his favorite pastime the rest of his life. He learned to fly fish, tying many of his own flies over the years. He hunted with a recurve bow as well as with a rifle. He enjoyed loading bullets. He loved horseshoes. Both Corwin and Ella held the championship of a small horseshoe pitching group in Salem until they discontinued that group shortly thereafter.

Corwin was preceded in death by his parents, Delbert and Dorothy, his sister Verlee, and his brother Robert.

He is survived by his wife, Ella, of 65 years, his siblings (Loya, Jack, Lorna, Stan, and Joseph), children (Robert (Janice), Mont (Elizabeth), Mike (Tami) and Lynae (Patrick), grandchildren (Joseph, Amy, Niels, John, Carolyn, Brett, Kassidi, Tanner, Amber, TJ, Robert, Katelyn, and Jeremiah), and 25 great grandchildren.