Toby Stall Jordan

Our beloved Toby Stall Jordan went to her heavenly home on July 12, 2023 peacefully while surrounded by family. Her life was filled with joy and happiness, and she leaves us thankful we knew her as our wife, mother, grandmother and treasured and faithful friend. She was invariably cheerful and optimistic, and she added sparkle to all occasions. Born on St. Patrick’s Day March 17, 1940, although 100% German, she had great fun being Irish on her birthday. Graduating from Fort Worth Pascal high school, she received a degree in elementary education at the University of Texas, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and sang with the Theta Octet, including an appearance with Bob Hope in Austin. She led the Theta campus singing activities, including performing in the annual sing song event. In college, she developed a passion for teaching kindergarten, which she did for two years in Fort Worth before marrying and settling in Dallas. While in Fort Worth she taught two classes a day, 30 kindergartners in the morning and a different 30 in the afternoon. At her wedding to Will in 1964 at TCU’s Robert Carr chapel, both of her kindergarten classes were present. They were very well behaved and one little boy asked if she would still love them after she married, and of course she answered yes. After her two sons were old enough for school, she resumed teaching kindergarten half day at University Park Methodist church day school for many years where the class sizes were only 12 to 15 students. She was always passionate about music, accompanying children’s choirs, taking piano lessons, including from concert pianist Stephen Nielson, playing four hands piano with a dear friend, singing in choirs and ringing handbells, and organizing neighborhood children into Christmas caroling groups. Much of this was with groups at Highland Park Presbyterian Church, where she was a member many years and served as an elder. She attended every event possible of her sons and granddaughters, whether sporting, musical, or dance, and she was their biggest fan. She even coached her son’s YMCA soccer team, about which she knew little, for a season when no other dad or mother was available to coach. Her family and friends were so central and important to her, as were seasons, holidays and birthdays that she particularly enjoyed decorating for. Very special were her friends from early tennis days, birthday lunch groups, walking partners, Elliot Class church dinner groups, and her church communities, as well as longtime friend of the family, Jack Pew. Toby’s happy times and places were anywhere with her family, gardening in the yard with seasonal flowers, YMCA of the Rockies for 18 straight summers with many lifelong friends, trips to Colorado Springs and Santa Fe, autumn trips to New England, many trips to New York and several choir trips to Europe. More recently trips to a Cedar Creek lake house have brought much pleasure. She enjoyed participating in organizations including Marianne Scruggs Garden Club, Dallas Woman’s Club, Dallas Arboretum, Dallas Symphony, Dallas Country Club, Salvation Army, and Scottish Rite for Children. She was currently serving on the board of visitors at the University of Texas School of Natural Sciences and McDonald Observatory. She leaves her loving, proud and grateful husband of 59 years, Will, sons and families, Rusty (Irene, Kathryn, Jeanne), Plano, and Stephen (Misti, Carolina, Lexi Anne), New York, special sister-in-law, Judy Jordan Eckert (Pete, Holly, Helen, Randy, Lindsay, Lauren and families). She is predeceased by her parents Kathryn and Charles Stall of Fort Worth, grandparents Helen Monnig, to whom she was especially close, and Otto Monnig of Fort Worth, and Mabel Robinson of Cameron and N. B. Stall of Ada, Oklahoma. Appreciation to Betty, Hanna, Amy, Sunny and Saudy for their wonderful comfort and care, and to our dear friends who provided so much guidance, love, and support over the years and in particular the past few months. If desired, contributions would be appreciated to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX, 75218 or Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church Music Ministry, 9800 Preston Road, Dallas, TX, 75230. Memorial service will be at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, 12 Noon Friday, July 28, with a piano musical prelude preceding the service at 11:45. Reception following in Jubilee Hall. Service will be live streamed at PHPC.org/streaming.

Toby Stall Jordan

March 17, 1940 - July 12, 2023