Tolman Geffs

Tolman Farrah Geffs passed away on Friday, September 2, 2022 at his home in Encinitas California, with the love of his life Jill at his side. Tolman and Jill lived in a casita adjacent to the home of their daughter Autumn Kreidman and her family, so Tolman was fortunate to finish his days surrounded by people who loved him.

Tolman was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1933 to Mary (Daniel) and Jacob Geffs. After growing up in Florida and Wisconsin, Tolman attended the University of Arizona where he earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1956, followed by a MS in Engineering at UCLA and an MBA at Harvard Business School in 1964, where his eldest son Tolman Jr. also later graduated.

Tolman married Audrey (Erdenberger) in 1960, and they had three children - Tolman Jr., Gregory and Brooke - while living in Southern California. Tolman married Elizabeth (Fogarty) in 1976, and ultimately married Jill (Ahlers) in 1991, becoming father to her children Autumn, Omar and Scott.

After Harvard, Tolman transitioned from aerospace engineer to business executive and founded Plaza Communications, a publisher of business magazines. Tolman sold his company in 1997 and enjoyed the next decade playing with a whacking big sailboat and as a novelist racking up book sales in the teens of copies (but he enjoyed it).

Tolman is survived by his wife Jill and former wife Elizabeth, and was predeceased by his brother John and former wife Audrey. He is also survived by six children and 12 grandchildren including namesakes William Tolman Geffs and Farrah Kreidman - Tol was definitely racking up the grandkid bonus points. His eldest grandchild Holly Geffs is engaged, so we are very sorry Papa T will miss the first next-gen wedding.

Tolman remained athletic, racing outrigger canoes into his late seventies, as well as intellectually curious and disarmingly funny. He suffered from severe cognitive decline for the last several years, but that never dimmed his sunny personality and ready laugh.

We miss him terribly.