George, Uncle George, Dad, or Mr. Tolladay, was referred to as "Pops" by those who were close to him. He was born July 28th, 1893 and those of us who are remaining know very little of his early years. One thing we know for sure is that he started working at a very young age. He continued working the rest of his life, and in fact seemed to thrive on hard work. "Pops" had a 30-year career with the Madera-Sugarpine Lumber Company. He had another career as a cattleman. Most of us remember him as a "cowman". In everything he did, he was respected as an outspoken leader, as a co-worker, as a hard-worker, and most of all as a fair man. He had an eighth grade education and accomplished more than most college graduates. He was living proof that it is possible to accomplish most anything through plain old hard work. "Pops" touched many lives in his 88 years. He certainly touched everyone in attendance here today. Willing to give of himself and extend help to others, he seldom asked anything in return. We have all experienced his firm handshake----it stayed with him right to the very end. Many of us treasure the memory of "Pops" and Arthur Denney sitting in front of the fireplace at Sugarpine and entertaining the family with stories. We'd heard all of them before, but we loved hearing them again and again. "Pops" and Arthur were great friends and enjoyed telling and re-telling their experiences almost as much as the experiences themselves. We were totally engrossed in the vivid pictures they painted with words. We were with them on deer hunts, bear hunts, and just plain working cows. The two of them and their dogs must have terrorized Speckerman Mountain. It was always kind of suspicious how they always remembered every barking dog, cracking limb, the air temperature, wind direction, number of shells in the gun, position of the sun, and the day of the week. (Arthur even remembered what he had eaten for breakfast, how much his back hurt, etc.) Those who don't remember Arthur know that "Pops" didn't have to take a back seat to anyone when it came to storytelling. As kids we had difficulty sleeping due to excitement generated by his stories the night before a hunt. By choice, he spent a good portion of his life outdoors. He knew virtually every rock, every tree, every draw, and every trail on Speckerman Mountain. He could spot a calf 400 yards away, with his naked eye, and tell you which cow was the mother, when it was born, and how many calves its mother has born in years past. Those of us who had the privilege of hunting or fishing with "Pops", will treasure the memories. We'll never hunt or fish without thinking of him. We'll remember a man doing what he enjoyed most. He pursued his hunting and fishing with the same intensity he pursued whatever work needed doing. It was often hard to differentiate. He set a pace that was difficult for younger men to maintain, and when the hunt was over we were always in worse shape than he was. We'll remember him during the annual markings and branding of cattle. He went to great pains to sharpen his pocket knife and build a hot fire for the branding iron. We can see him in his battered felt cowboy hat, his faded blue work shirt (rolled up sleeves to the elbow), and Levi’s. His hands were bloody, and he's pause from time to time in order to pull out a bandana and wipe the sweat from his bald head. It was a hard job, but we all loved it. Can's you still see him sitting on the corral fence counting cows and calves as we moved them by him. Who can forget "Pops" in his pickup truck----the angle he sat at, the hat, the guns in the rack behind his seat, and at least one dog in the back. Visions of him leaning on his gun barrel and assigning hunting routes to everyone, will also live forever. It was always a mystery how everyone always seemed to end up at the exact spot he'd told us to hunt toward. "Pops" was a tough talking individualist that had other facets to his personality. He was a perfect gentleman in the present of ladies. He always tipped or removed his hat out of respect for the female gender. With a great deal of effort, I'm sure, he even was capable of cleaning up his language in their presence. Another interesting facet of "Pops", was his ability to relate to young people. All of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren will remember the pumpkins he grew for them in his garden. Personalized pumpkins at that! How many of remember "Pops" using terms such as "nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs", or "colder than a mother-in-laws stare", or "tighter than Dicks hat band". Those are the cleaner ones that he used! "Pops" presence will be most missed at family functions. He was so much a part of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and family birthday parties, that they won't be the same without him. We'll feel sorry (sorry for ourselves, probably) that this wonderful man is gone. The Indians had a name for the place a person traveled to after death. They called it the happy hunting ground". "Pops" has gone to this "Happy Hunting Ground". "Pops" has gone to this "Happy Hunting Ground", so to speak. Let's all pray that his days are now filled with decisions such as-------"should I shoot that bull elk over in the draw, or should I shoot the 5 point mule deer up on the ridge?"
MADERA -- Graveside services for George Tolladay, 88, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Arbor Vitae Cemetery.
Mr. Tolladay died Monday. He was a native of the Redding [Red Bluff, Tehama County] area come to Madera County in 1911. He worked for the Sugar Pine Lumber Co., working his way up from woodsman to general manager, a position he held until the mill closed in 1931. Tolladay purchased the company and created the county's first subdivision by selling company cabins and lots. He obtained the first permit to graze cattle in the Sierra National Forest. He exchanged the former Sugar Pine mill for an interest in the Madera Lumber Co. but later sold the lumber company and became one of the first ranchers to raise Angus cattle.
Tolladay was active in the Madera County Fish and Game Commission and the California Farm Bureau. He was a past president of the Madera County Cattlemen's Association and a member of the Madera County Historical Society. He believed in controlled burning in the foothills and was consulted for his expertise in the field. Tolladay was instrumental in the organization of the Sierra National Forest Permits Association, the organization that authorizes mountain grazing permits for cattlemen.
Surviving are two sons, Jack of Fresno and Don of Colorado; a daughter, Eloise Rolff of Clovis; two grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The family requests any remembrances be sent to the donors favorite charity. The Jay Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Note: There is an error in this obituary. There were 9 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Typed Transcription by: Nancy Tolladay-Smith, Grand-daughter of George Tolladay
Nancy's family are descendents of Andrew Jackson Tolladay, son of Solomon Tolladay. According to family histor,y Andrew married a woman named Nancy, and their children were Charles Gabriel Tolladay, James Tolladay and Delbert "Kit" Tolladay. My grandfather is a son of Charles Gabriel Tolladay. My dad also said that the Charles Gabriel Tolladay family was on their way, moving to Lompoc when Charles died (I think in an accident) in Madera, and that's why they settled there. Sad, and interesting, too.
