William Marshall Tolles

Dr. William Marshall Tolles, former research scientist with the United States Navy, passed away on Monday, September 8, 2025, in Frederick, Maryland. Over the course of his distinguished career, he led long-range planning and headed the Chemistry Division at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC and served as Dean of Science and Engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. From a one-room schoolhouse to leadership at the forefront of naval science, William Tolles lived a life that embodied service to science, country, and family.
Dr. Tolles was born in New Britain, Connecticut, on June 30, 1937, to parents Marshall Henry Hoadley Tolles and Lily Calmbach Tolles. He was raised in Southington, where he was one of the last students to attend West Street School, an historic one-room schoolhouse. As a boy he raised chickens and participated in 4H and the local Grange.
Inspired by the sight of Sputnik crossing the night sky and its implications for science, William changed his college major from agriculture to chemistry. He earned a B.S. degree, cum laude, from the University of Connecticut in 1958 and went on to complete a Ph.D. in physical chemistry, with a dissertation on microwave spectroscopy, at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1962—finishing in just three years.
In 1959, he married Elizabeth Blackman of Brookfield, Connecticut, beginning a lifelong partnership rooted in love, family, and shared adventure. After completing his doctoral studies, he undertook a year of postdoctoral research at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He and Elizabeth then moved to Carmel, California, where he became a Professor of Chemistry at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. There, he later served as Dean of Research and Dean of Science and Engineering.
William and Elizabeth, joined later by their children Chris and Laurie, enjoyed their life in Carmel—touring the Western United States in their 1971 VW camper, entertaining faculty and student families in their home, and listening to William play the Wurlitzer organ in the evenings.
His career then took the family to Alexandria, Virginia, where he assumed the position of Superintendent of the Chemistry Division at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC and subsequently became Associate Director of Research for Strategic Planning at NRL. In 1994, he spent six months at the Office of Naval Research in London, studying European research in nanotechnology. Following his retirement, he continued to share his expertise as a consultant for various firms in the DC area, primarily in the field of nanotechnology.
Throughout his career, Dr. Tolles was active in professional organizations including the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society, the Optical Society of America, the American Society of Engineering Education, and Sigma Xi. He was also one of the earliest users of email, holding an ARPANET account in the 1980s. Beyond his scientific contributions, he co-authored a genealogical study with Alyce Jane (Tolles) Morow, Tolles in America, tracing some 5,000 names back to the original Tolles who settled in Connecticut in the late 1600s.
William Tolles was deeply devoted to his family and faith. He and Elizabeth celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary before her passing in 2020. He was an active member of Heritage Presbyterian Church of Alexandria, VA where he volunteered his computer expertise to the Finance and Stewardship Committee. He is survived by his son, Christopher Tolles of San Francisco, California, his daughter, Laurie Soherr (Stephen) of Poolesville, Maryland, and his brother Roger C. Tolles (Doris) of Southington, Connecticut.
He will be remembered for his intellectual rigor, his integrity, and his devotion to family, as well as for the curiosity, kindness, and humor he brought to every chapter of life.
A private memorial service will take place in Connecticut. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the University of Connecticut or the University of California at Berkeley.