Harold Eugene Tobey

Hyannis, MA – Our community sadly lost a pillar on Saturday, May 23, 2020 when Harold Tobey passed away two days shy of his 84th birthday. He was a teacher to hundreds, a mentor to many, and a friend to all. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on May 25, 1936 the son of Ella Louise Tobey.

Harold served in the United States Navy where he received the Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal. For this he was extremely proud.

Harold’s contributions to the lives of many is extensive. He loved Barnstable County and represented it well! He was the first African American officer at the Barnstable Police Department where he protected and served for 17 years, he was a Town Councilor from 1989 to 2009 and served on many boards; he was the first African American Town President (1995 to 1996). Harold was a member of the Licensing Authority from 1991 to 2001. In addition, he worked security at the Hyannis Public Library for 15 years. He was a Founding Member and President of the Board of the Zion Union Heritage Museum from 2006 to 2010. Harold was on the Board of Directors of the Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & the Islands, which includes Safe Harbor from 2011 to 2015. He was a member of the Elder Judiciary Committee of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Court from 2010 to 2016 and his most recent board affiliation, 2018 to 2020 with the Town of Barnstable Water Commission.

In addition to his mother, he was predeceased by his first wife, Margaret Tobey and a daughter, Leesa Gomes. Surviving him in addition to his loving wife of 34 years, Donna (Dee) Tobey are his daughters, Gail Tobey of MA and Pamela Tobey of CA; his grandchildren, Steven and Donisha Gomes of CA, Danielle Tobey and Ronald Cruz of CA, Emmanuel and Alicia Gomes of AL, Monique Tobey of MA, Tiffany Tobey of MA. His great- grandchildren, V’Santi Tobey of CA, Michael Gonsalves of MA, Luis Garcia-Tobey of CA, Sanaa Gomes of CA, Amari Miller- Tobey of MA , Micah Gomes of AL, and Abagail Gomes of AL. Also surviving him are his mother-in-law Elinor Dee of MA, brother-in-law Allen Dee of TX and a stepsister, Muriel Riley of MD.

His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone he interacted with as well as those he reached but never met. His infectious belly laugh will be remembered by many. Harold loved spending time with his family and friends; he loved a celebration. He had a bright and energetic personality and was known for his ability to sense when people needed him for help. He touched many lives with his generosity and passion for life. One of his core values was no matter what your race, education or financial status you can make a difference.

Family and Friends will be invited to attend a Celebration of Life gathering at a later date. In lieu of flowers, remember Harold and his kindness, loyalty, and compassion so that his legacy lives on in a special way by making a gift in his memory to the Cape Cod Chapter of the NAACP Scholarship Fund, C/O John Reed, NAACP President, Zion Union Heritage Museum, 276 North Street, Hyannis, MA 02601.

For online condolences, please visit www.doanebealameshyannis.com .