Tish Toland

1930 - 2024

Tish Toland
Geraldine Patricia "Tish" Toland joined her family in Heaven on April 18, 2024. She was born November 7, 1930 in Sault Ste. Marie, MI as one of four daughters to the late Theodore and Lucy (Chapman) France. Tish married Donald F. Toland on April 15, 1950 and moved to Midland in 1951. After settling in Midland, Tish worked for Michigan Bell for two years before starting a family. After raising her six children she returned to work as a school crossing guard and spent more than 15 years at the corner of Sugnet & Jefferson. At the same time, she became involved in a catering business, working weddings and other events well into her sixties. For forty years, she helped coordinate funeral lunches at Blessed Sacrament with her good friend Rosemary Rankl. Tish and several others became known proudly as "the goodbye girls", for the lunches they hosted. She was "world famous" for her potato salad and in addition to funerals, prepared her salad for church picnics and other events. Tish and Don were charter members of Blessed Sacrament and outside of her family, she cherished the time spent at the church. She always enjoyed going shopping and then heading to "The Bully" to recuperate from her excursions. Tish loved to dance and just have a good time with those she loved. Family and especially her grandchildren meant the world to her, and she will be deeply missed by all of those whose lives she touched.
Surviving are her children, Kathy (Ken) Terwillegar of Freeland, Dan (Leslie) Toland of Midland, Patty (Butch) Kowalski of Fort Mill, SC, Laureen (Alan) Kelly of Amarillo, TX, JoAnne (Douglas) Rempp of Salina, KS, and Mary Beth (Roger) Klemkosky of Beaverton; surrogate daughter, Toni Johnson; 17 grandchildren; and 28 great grandchildren. In addition to her parents, Tish was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Don Toland; sisters, Mary Ann La Bonte, Virgina Skinner, and Maybelle France; and beloved four legged "child" Buddy.
The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 2, 2024 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 3109 Swede Ave. with Father Jack Johnson officiating. Tish's family will receive friends at Ware Smith Woolever Funeral Home, 1200 W. Wheeler St., on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. and at the church on Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Liturgy. A Vigil for the deceased will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening following visitation hours. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, or Mid-Michigan Teen Challenge. All of us at Ware Smith Woolever are honored the Toland family has entrusted us with the care of their loved one.