Roger Adams Tolman

MURTAUGH - Roger Adams Tolman, age 96, of Murtaugh, passed away on Saturday, June 28, 2014, at his home.

He was a lifetime resident of Murtaugh (except for a brief 2 to 3 years in Chico, Calif., and Salt Lake City, Utah.) He was the son of Royal Clifford and Goldie Adams Tolman. He was born in the Tolman home in Murtaugh on May 17, 1918. His older brother was Rex Tolman. He had four younger sisters, Lova, Betty, Ruth, and LaDawn.

Roger would go with his father to the south hills taking provisions to the sheep herders. By age 10 and into his teenage years he would go by horse back and small pickup to deliver these provisions by himself while his father took care of the farm and church responsibilities. He was trained early to manage teams of horses before they had tractors. Besides his high school education, especially in his senior year, he self taught himself in a correspondence course in electronics.

He accepted great responsibility early on because his father was frequently called to speak and sing at funerals all over the valley while his brother, Rex, was on a mission in the Eastern States. He was a faithful, dependable, and loving son.

He drove the horse and wagon that hauled children to school and he, with his peers, would take the buck board wagon and gather sage brush to burn in the little old pot-bellied stove in the Latter-day Saint Church on Sunday and other activities that were held there. At 17, he was called to be mutual president in the ward. From that time on he held positions in the Church culminating in becoming the bishop in the Murtaugh Ward and later as a high councilor in the Kimberly Stake. He took these callings very seriously and they had first priority throughout his life. While he was a counselor to Bishop Duane Perkins, the ward decided they needed a new chapel. Roger was very instrumental in seeing that this was accomplished.

In 1940, Roger began dating Virginia June McKinster of Twin Falls. On their first date, he took June to the 50th wedding anniversary of his grandparents, Judson Isaac and Phoebe Emmerett Tolman. Roger kept the road hot between Murtaugh and Twin Falls until June said, “Yes, she would love to be his wife.” Then he, his father, and Roy Adamson built their first home right beside the little old white Latter-day Saints Chapel by the side of the road on Highway 30. They were married Jan. 21, 1941, in the Logan Utah LDS Temple. They were married by Roger’s grandfather, J.I. Tolman. June and Roger were blessed with six sons, Michael, Donald, Roger, Lawrence, Stuart, and Patrick.

In 1945, when Roger’s parents moved to Twin Falls, June and Roger moved into the Tolman homestead which was one of the first two-story brick homes on the Twin Falls tract. They lived there until 1981. At that time, Roger had a new home built (down at the end of the lane), and they spent the next 33 years of their 73 years of marriage in this home.

Church activities, farming, school activities (especially sports), and later in 1953, T.V. were the things that kept Roger busy through the years. Roger did participate in bowling (he was an above average bowler only because June loved it so). His hobbies were farming and T.V.

In 2002, Roger and his son, Stuart, leased the farm. Stuart was doing T.V. antenna and satellite work and Roger helped with this work. Roger enjoyed every day with Stuart as they experienced life together in a work he had loved since his youth and, this he did until one month before his passing.

He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. As long as they could, they enjoyed celebrating the different events in the lives of their children and grandchildren.

Roger is survived by his wife, June of Murtaugh; sons, Donald (JoAnn), and Roger C (Tammy) both of Provo, Utah, Lawrence (Reba) of Blackfoot, Stuart (Nancy) of Murtaugh, and Patrick (Debbie) of Kennewick, Wash.; his three sisters, Betty Morgan, Ruth Lanning, and LaDawn (Eldon) Jackman; 30 grandchildren; and 65 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Mike Tolman; one grandson, Justin Kearsley; a brother, Rex Tolman; and one sister, Lova Watts.

Our grateful thanks goes to Idaho Home Health and Hospice, especially Kayle and Robert in particular.

A viewing will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday, July 7, at the Murtaugh LDS Church, 23709 Hwy. 30, in Murtaugh.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 8, also at the Murtaugh LDS Church where friends and family may call from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Burial will follow at the Sunset Memorial Park in Twin Falls.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.