Gary Vernon Tollers, 61, of Rochester, Minnesota, passed away suddenly Aug. 5, 2016 in Allentown, Pennsylvania while on tour with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps. He was born Feb. 10, 1955 in Park Falls to Rudolph and Opal Tollers. He spent his childhood in Fifield. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Park Falls. He married his high school sweetheart, Susan Fleischfresser, in 1977. They spent most of their lives in Rochester, Minnesota. In 1980, they were blessed with a daughter, Heather Joy.
He earned his undergraduate math/computer science degree from UW-Eau Claire and later his Masters in manufacturing systems engineering from UW-Madison. In 1992 Gary and his family moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he worked at North Carolina A & T on a faculty loan program through IBM. Gary enjoyed a 33-year career at IBM, retiring in 2011 as a Senior Technical Staff Member. Gary’s technical skills and contributions were highly valued, but his personal characteristics made even more of an impact and set him apart from others. He was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minnesota, where he enjoyed serving in several capacities. He enjoyed experimenting with cooking and blessed his family and friends with many meals. Immediately following retirement in 2011, he began volunteering with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. He was a long-term member of their board of directors. Alongside his daughter Heather, he managed the Blue Stars souvenir program and was the chairperson for three River City Rhapsody drum corps shows. Gary’s love of the drum corps activity ran deep. As a teenager, he marched in the Brass Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps in Park Falls. He wanted nothing more than to give back to the activity that so enriched his life and helped to shape the man he became. His big smile, welcome greetings, warm hugs, and genuine interest in people was evident in all he did.
Gary is survived by his wife, Susan; daughter, Heather; three brothers: Vincent (Martha) of Pittsboro, North Carolina, James of Madison, Jeffrey of Mexico City, Mexico; one sister, Kimberly of Argyle; a sister-in-law, Barbara of Park Falls; two sister and brother-in-laws, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father Rudolph, mother Opal (Jodell), a brother Warren Tollers; two infant brothers Paul and Joseph, and a nephew, Steven Tollers.
He earned his undergraduate math/computer science degree from UW-Eau Claire and later his Masters in manufacturing systems engineering from UW-Madison. In 1992 Gary and his family moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he worked at North Carolina A & T on a faculty loan program through IBM. Gary enjoyed a 33-year career at IBM, retiring in 2011 as a Senior Technical Staff Member. Gary’s technical skills and contributions were highly valued, but his personal characteristics made even more of an impact and set him apart from others. He was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minnesota, where he enjoyed serving in several capacities. He enjoyed experimenting with cooking and blessed his family and friends with many meals. Immediately following retirement in 2011, he began volunteering with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. He was a long-term member of their board of directors. Alongside his daughter Heather, he managed the Blue Stars souvenir program and was the chairperson for three River City Rhapsody drum corps shows. Gary’s love of the drum corps activity ran deep. As a teenager, he marched in the Brass Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps in Park Falls. He wanted nothing more than to give back to the activity that so enriched his life and helped to shape the man he became. His big smile, welcome greetings, warm hugs, and genuine interest in people was evident in all he did.
Gary is survived by his wife, Susan; daughter, Heather; three brothers: Vincent (Martha) of Pittsboro, North Carolina, James of Madison, Jeffrey of Mexico City, Mexico; one sister, Kimberly of Argyle; a sister-in-law, Barbara of Park Falls; two sister and brother-in-laws, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father Rudolph, mother Opal (Jodell), a brother Warren Tollers; two infant brothers Paul and Joseph, and a nephew, Steven Tollers.
Gary Vernon Tollers, 61, of Rochester, Minnesota, passed away suddenly Aug. 5, 2016 in Allentown, Pennsylvania while on tour with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps. He was born Feb. 10, 1955 in Park Falls to Rudolph and Opal Tollers. He spent his childhood in Fifield. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Park Falls. He married his high school sweetheart, Susan Fleischfresser, in 1977. They spent most of their lives in Rochester, Minnesota. In 1980, they were blessed with a daughter, Heather Joy.
He earned his undergraduate math/computer science degree from UW-Eau Claire and later his Masters in manufacturing systems engineering from UW-Madison. In 1992 Gary and his family moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he worked at North Carolina A & T on a faculty loan program through IBM. Gary enjoyed a 33-year career at IBM, retiring in 2011 as a Senior Technical Staff Member. Gary’s technical skills and contributions were highly valued, but his personal characteristics made even more of an impact and set him apart from others. He was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minnesota, where he enjoyed serving in several capacities. He enjoyed experimenting with cooking and blessed his family and friends with many meals. Immediately following retirement in 2011, he began volunteering with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. He was a long-term member of their board of directors. Alongside his daughter Heather, he managed the Blue Stars souvenir program and was the chairperson for three River City Rhapsody drum corps shows. Gary’s love of the drum corps activity ran deep. As a teenager, he marched in the Brass Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps in Park Falls. He wanted nothing more than to give back to the activity that so enriched his life and helped to shape the man he became. His big smile, welcome greetings, warm hugs, and genuine interest in people was evident in all he did.
Gary is survived by his wife, Susan; daughter, Heather; three brothers: Vincent (Martha) of Pittsboro, North Carolina, James of Madison, Jeffrey of Mexico City, Mexico; one sister, Kimberly of Argyle; a sister-in-law, Barbara of Park Falls; two sister and brother-in-laws, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father Rudolph, mother Opal (Jodell), a brother Warren Tollers; two infant brothers Paul and Joseph, and a nephew, Steven Tollers.
He earned his undergraduate math/computer science degree from UW-Eau Claire and later his Masters in manufacturing systems engineering from UW-Madison. In 1992 Gary and his family moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he worked at North Carolina A & T on a faculty loan program through IBM. Gary enjoyed a 33-year career at IBM, retiring in 2011 as a Senior Technical Staff Member. Gary’s technical skills and contributions were highly valued, but his personal characteristics made even more of an impact and set him apart from others. He was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minnesota, where he enjoyed serving in several capacities. He enjoyed experimenting with cooking and blessed his family and friends with many meals. Immediately following retirement in 2011, he began volunteering with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. He was a long-term member of their board of directors. Alongside his daughter Heather, he managed the Blue Stars souvenir program and was the chairperson for three River City Rhapsody drum corps shows. Gary’s love of the drum corps activity ran deep. As a teenager, he marched in the Brass Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps in Park Falls. He wanted nothing more than to give back to the activity that so enriched his life and helped to shape the man he became. His big smile, welcome greetings, warm hugs, and genuine interest in people was evident in all he did.
Gary is survived by his wife, Susan; daughter, Heather; three brothers: Vincent (Martha) of Pittsboro, North Carolina, James of Madison, Jeffrey of Mexico City, Mexico; one sister, Kimberly of Argyle; a sister-in-law, Barbara of Park Falls; two sister and brother-in-laws, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father Rudolph, mother Opal (Jodell), a brother Warren Tollers; two infant brothers Paul and Joseph, and a nephew, Steven Tollers.
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