Obituary of Lowell James 'Tony' Toczek

Lowell James 'Tony' Toczek, age 88, of Yankton, SD passed away Monday, October 12, 2015 at Avera Yankton Care Center, Yankton, SD. Memorial services will be 3:00 PM, Saturday, October 17, 2015 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Chapel, Yankton, SD with Rev. Michael Carlson officiating. Burial of his cremated remains will take place at a later date. Visitations will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Tony was born on January 15, 1927 to Emil and Alice (Welfl) Toczek in a Model T Ford during a blizzard outside of Philip, South Dakota. He lived in Philip for the early part of his life before moving to Yankton where he graduated from Yankton High School in 1945. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Corp where he specialized in aircraft engine mechanics. He was honorably discharged in 1949 and married Vivian Aleta Smith on July 31st. 1949. He worked at Northwestern Public Service as a service foreman for 27 years. He then started his own successful cable trenching business and worked there until 1983, when he transferred the business to his son, Keith. In the fall of 1985, Tony and Viv moved to Sandy, Utah for 10 years, where he spent his time gardening, fishing and panning for gold. In 1995, they moved to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and Tony continued to enjoy his hobbies, spending much of his time in his boat on the lake near his home. In 2011, the couple returned home to Yankton to be closer to their family. He spent his days gardening, working on growing the perfect tomato, and enjoying his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Tony was an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman, and he shared those interests with his two sons, Brian and Keith. He and his father, Emil Toczek, built one of the 1st pontoon-style houseboats ever seen on this stretch of the Missouri River. The family enjoyed countless weekends on that houseboat, thanks to Tony's ingenuity. He was a member of the Yankton Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years, and served on the Executive Board of the Isaac Walton League. Tony is survived by his wife Vivian and his two sons, Brian (Lori) Toczek and Keith (Dianne) Toczek, 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Donald Toczek.