Louise Marie "MeMe" Toler

Louise Marie “MeMe” Toler, 89 years old, of Gilbert, Arizona, a truly beautiful and loving soul was called Home to be with her loving God and the many loved ones who departed before her on Friday, January 10, 2014.

Louise was born to her parents, father Dallas Rupert Burgess and mother Ethel Marie Blake on July 15, 1924 in the small coal mining town Minden, West Virginia. “Tookie”, as she was fondly named by her sisters, grew up the oldest of four sisters June, Betty, and Nancy. Louise and her family later moved to Boomer, West Virginia where Louise started school and grew up during the Great Depression.

In 1941, at age 16, Louise ran off to be married to her high school sweetheart, James Keatley Toler and they were married in Bristol, Tennessee. Her generous in laws, the Tolers, welcomed she and Keatley to live in their home under the condition that Louise complete her high school education. She carried out her promise and made her mother and father and the Tolers very proud when she graduated from Fayetteville High School in June of 1942. Louise and Keatley bought a house and furnished it first and foremost with a four poster cast iron bed that Louise would later give birth to her two beloved children.

During World War II, Louise volunteered for the Red Cross Association, making bandages and organizing blood drives for wounded soldiers, an accomplishment that was very fulfilling for her.

In 1943, Louise gave birth at home in the family heirloom bed, to a baby girl, Tana Sue. The very next year she gave birth to a baby boy, James Keatley Jr. Her children were the love of her life and she dearly loved motherhood. Her husband, James Keatley, was killed tragically in a gun accident in 1952. She would later fall in love with “Babe” – Maurice Larese, a mason from Italy whom she carried on a love affair for 20+ years but denied his wedding proposal out of respect for Keatley and her loving in laws. “Babe” the second love of her life was taken tragically in death on a family vacation they took out west, leaving Louise heartbroken twice over.

In 1970, Louise’s dream of owning a classy dress shop came true and she opened “Tookie’s Fashions” in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Her store logo and the shop itself was painted in none other than Tookie’s favorite colors: black and red. Louise took such pride in her shop selling beautiful dresses and jewelry. Her store was such a success that she later went into business with her daughter Tana and they opened a second store in New Haven, West Virginia.

In 1982, Louise followed the third love of her life, Russell Gunsaulis, out west where they settled in Gallup, New Mexico and built a beautiful home that MeME designed herself. They later moved to Tempe, Arizona where MeMe invested her time greatly in being the best mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt to her family possible traveling the state of Arizona, and across the United States to Oklahoma and West Virginia to be present in the lives of those she loved.

MeMe had many passions in life. MeMe was a very talented tap dancer as a young woman and loved to dance. She often snuck out of the house with her sister June and frequented the taverns just to go dancing; she was also an avid bowler, bowling in more than 17 National Bowling Tournaments across the United States. She also enjoyed frequenting the casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, She could be found in the Poker pits of Vegas beating the pants off of the men. She enjoyed playing the lottery and scratching scratch tickets, hoping to hit the jackpot as a fortune teller once told her; playing cards “Shanghai Rummy”- was a favorite family tradition. She loved astrology and could be found reading your daily horoscope to you; she believed in the essence of dreams and could quickly interpret your dreams while referencing her dream books; She loved her Wheel of Fortune and nobody was allowed to interrupt her favorite TV show; She loved Elvis Presley and the classic artists of the 40’s and 50’s; She loved to shop and shower her loved ones with gifts; she dressed as a lady and carried herself as a lady and adorned herself in the color red and Charlie perfume and of course her signature black wig; MeMe was always offering you something delicious to eat and MeMe’s homemade rolls, cranberry sauce, fried chicken, and dumplings will go down in history as the best ever. She stocked her purse and car with Wrigley’s gum, bananas, a flashlight, a wet wash cloth in a baggie, and her lucky rabbit’s foot. If you rode in her car you best believe you were going to smell like bananas. MeMe lived a full happy life in spite of some tragedy.

“MeMe” will be most remembered for making life beautiful for her family, whom she dearly loved. She overflowed with love for her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her greatest calling in life was the generous giving of herself. She drove back and forth across the country time after time by herself to be present in the lives of the ones she loved, never missing a milestone event in each and every one of their lives. For those who were fortunate enough to be graced by her love, their lives will be forever changed. She taught us unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, courage, and lessons in life that may well be secret within each loved one’s heart. With every season of her life, she only grew more loving and kind and showed her true class as a lady from the beginning to the very end of her sweet life. She will be dearly treasured for eternity by all who had the privilege of calling her daughter, sister, friend, aunt, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She knew Jesus as her savior and now shines upon us all from Heaven.

Louise Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Dallas and Ethel Burgess; two sisters June Jeanese Holt and Betty Jean Likens; her husband James Keatley Toler; her love “Babe” Maurice Larese; her love Russell Gunsaulis and her beloved daughter, Tana Sue Simonton. Louise is survived by her loving son, James Toler (Kathryn) of Fayetteville , West Virginia; loving sister Nancy Ann Followwill and brother in law Bob of Norman, Oklahoma; beloved son-in-law, David Simonton of Gilbert, Arizona; Four loving grandchildren, Steven Simonton (Laura) of Cave Creek, Arizona; John “Jay” Simonton (Deborah) of Yuma, Arizona; Betsy Ann Pollard (Mark) of Winslow, Arizona, and Cassidy Toler of Fayetteville, West Virginia. “MeMe” has nine beautiful great-grandchildren ~ Kailey, Brooke, Zachary, Kaden, Kamryn, Dylan, Aiden, Grace, and Livi. She also has many loving nieces and nephews who loved and cherished her.

A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 11:00 am at Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park and Funeral Care, 400 South Power Road, Mesa, Arizona 85206. Please visit www.MariposaGardens.com to leave a tribute to MeMe.