John Toft

John Toft Jr., age 87, of Norman, Oklahoma, passed away on August

6, due to complications related to Parkinson's disease, an opponent

he faced with characteristic wit, courage and faith.

John was born on November 5, 1937, to John and Gladys Toft in

Exira, Iowa. He graduated from Exira High School in 1956, and while

the town he loved was small, his dreams were big.

A lifelong learner and firm believer in the power of education, John

attended the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa,

where he earned a bachelor's degree in English and French. He also

studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, which he always mentioned with

just the right amount of Midwestern humility. He later earned a

master's degree in Linguistics from the University of Northern Iowa.

John began his career teaching English and French, then transitioned

into educational publishing, where he left his mark at Harcourt Brace

in Chicago, Houghton Mifflin in Boston, and several other companies

across Ohio, California, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. He eventually

retired as a vice president at McGraw Hill, though "retired" may be

too strong a word, since he kept showing up to serve on boards and

lead community projects well after stepping away from the corporate

world.

John was a musician at heart. He played piano and drums, and even

performed with the University of Iowa marching band. In later years,

he sang in church choirs, where his deep bass voice was deeply

appreciated.

Faith was central to John's life. A devoted member of the Evangelical

Lutheran Church of America, he taught Sunday School, served on

church councils, sang in choirs, and enthusiastically participated in

just about every church activity available, often whether or not he had

been asked.

In his "retirement" in Pennsylvania, John somehow found time to

serve as president of the school board, a board member of the White

Haven Area Community Library, and as part of his homeowners

association. It's possible he misunderstood the word "rest."

John was also a lifelong distance runner and jogged well into his

seventies. He loved biking and skiing with his family and traveling the

world with his beloved wife, Mary.

John is survived by Mary (Lund), his wife of 67 years. They married in

1958, but he would proudly tell anyone who'd listen that he met her

when he was just seven years old; a love story in long form.

He is predeceased by his parents, John and Gladys Toft, and by two

older sisters who doted on him (and probably made sure he

behaved): Evelyn Mae Fay and Lucile Fay.

John is the proud father of four very lucky daughters:

Jane Livecchi (John),

Candace Allen (Bryan),

Elizabeth Hammack (Don),

and Martha Hanik (Mark).

He also leaves behind eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild:

Rebecca Ibarra (Krisnan),

Alison Smith,

Jared Allen,

Forest Smith,

Jack Livecchi,

Thomas Livecchi (Danielle),

Noah Hanik,

Natalie Hanik,

and Enrique Ibarra.

John is also survived by a wide circle of beloved nieces and

nephews, all of whom inherited at least one good story from Uncle

John.

He will be remembered for his kindness, his curiosity, his sense of

humor, and his firm belief that words and people matter.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the church.