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ARTHUR TOY
Oct. 30, 1930 – Oct. 7, 2019
Toy obit pic
Art passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on the evening of October 7th, too soon to not celebrate his 89th birthday on October 30th.
His life was full of so many happy and memorable events. The most recent being granddaughter Marissa’s marriage as well as the additions to the Toy family tree, one-year-old Adriana and five­month-old Rex.
Art was born in Stockton, attending grammar school and high school there. During his early teen years, his job after school was farming with his father and brothers, Bill and Tom. When he was able, he attended St. Mark’s Methodist Church and the Chinese Christian Center where he was a member of the Laocius Club. He enjoyed playing sandlot baseball as well as basketball with his buddies.
After high school he attended UC Berkeley, but soon realized this was not for him, so he joined the Army. He completed boot camp at Camp Roberts and was later stationed in Europe, including Trieste, Italy, and Germany. His interest at the time was communications.
After his service in the Army, he joined his brothers and brother-in-law in his first venture into the grocery business. Around late 1956, at the Chinese Christian Center, the Mei-Lings girls club sponsored a dance at the recreation hall, where lucky Art was asked out by his future wife, Patricia. Art was a little slow on the proposal, but Patricia’s mom was already making weddings plans! They were married on July 14, 1957.
Art and Patricia started married life in a duplex in Manteca, later moving to Escalon when plans were initiated for Big Boy Market. Escalon was the perfect place to raise his family. His devotion and hard work for his family left him no time to relax and no time for hobbies, though he enjoyed supporting his sons’ participation in little league baseball, football, and wrestling. It was important to him to also make time each year in August to take the family to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm.
In later years as a semi-retiree, Art was able to enjoy three cruises to the Caribbean, including the Panama Canal.
Art was very comfortable seeing old friends in Escalon and was very generous in donating money or groceries to assist local schools and organizations.
Art is preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Yen Lee Toy, sisters Hazel and Ruth, and brothers Bill, Tom, and David.
Art will be dearly missed by his wife of 62 years, Patricia; his children Michael, Robert, Stephen (Teresa), and Sharon (William); his grandchildren, Bryan (fiancée Carol), Megan, Ashley (Jordan), Marissa (Gabriel), and Nicholas; his great-grandchildren, Adriana, and Rex; his brothers Paul and Patrick; many nieces and nephews; and former daughter-in-law, Robin.
Visitation will be at DeYoung Shoreline Chapel in Stockton on Friday, November 8, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A private family service will be held at a later date. Remembrances may be made in lieu of flowers to the Escalon Community Ambulance or the American Legion Post 263.
The Escalon (Calif.) Times
Nov. 6, 2019