One of my favorite pictures of Mom with her grandsons, Kevin, Chase, Jim, and Kyle.
I wanted to re-publish this obituary for Mom since I have been thinking about her a lot lately. April 19th will be one year since she passed.
Published by Legacy Remembers on May 13, 2024. Written by daughter, Vickie Toboni and daughter-in-law, Barbara Toboni.
Colleen Evelyn Lala was born June 17, 1927 and passed April 19, 2024. She was born in Los Angeles and grew up with her father, John Lala and mother, Ruth Lala. She had one brother, Elmer, and two sisters, Luella and Patricia.
Colleen developed her independence early and began her first job at the age of 16 at Bullock’s Department store where she worked her way into a management position. She and her best friend, Margie, later moved to San Francisco where she met and married the love of her life, James Toboni. They had three children, Victoria, David and John.
Her husband died young unexpectedly in 1964. Colleen then started her career. She got a job as office manager for the San Mateo Carpenters Union Hall. In 1966 she moved her family to San Carlos. While employed in San Mateo she became a pioneer in computerized office management working hard to convert her office to the new system. She went on to work for the Sheet Metal Union Hall and then the Cement Masons Union Hall.
Colleen retired to Petaluma where she revived her childhood love of singing and tap dancing. She was an active member of the Petaluma Senior Center with the Ballroom Dance Committee, Santa Rosa Dance Center Adult Tap Dance Company, and Petaluma Red Hat Society. She was always adventurous and ready to try something new. She enjoyed traveling, and had several hobbies including sewing and fine jewelry-making, eventually producing enough items to sell at local art shows. She lived in Healdsburg until she moved into assisted living in Windsor.
She loved spending time with her family and is survived by her sister, Patricia Lala, children and partners, Victoria Toboni Maclachlan and Kirk Maclachlan, David and Barbara Toboni, and John Toboni. Additionally, are her grandchildren and their partners, Chase Toboni, Kyle and Nicole Maclachlan, James and WhitneyToboni, and Kevin Maclachlan. Great-granddaughters are Riley, Hanna, and Emma.
She was my big sister and I miss her. When something comes up on the TV I still reach for the phone to call her and then I remember.
Colleen was a kind person with a lot of fire in her belly. In 85 years I never knew her to deliberately hurt someone, or their feelings.
She was like that.
When the children’s father died and left her on what was then a pitiful amount of
Social Security survivor’s benefits she was determined to leave her children with more than just a memory. She achieved that and her children are doing well, that was her goal.
She worked hard, she played hard, and her bathing suit never got wet.
I expect that she tapped all the way to the Pearly Gates. Pearls, of course were her birthday stones. She was very stylish that way.
Beautiful post and also what a wonderful tribute from Patsy above.