David E. Toney, Jr., 89, retired publisher of The Brazoria County News, The Gulf Coast Tribune and The Palacios Beacon died Thursday, May 19 in Angleton, Texas after an extended illness.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m., Thursday, May 26 at Columbia United Methodist Church in West Columbia. Visitation is set for Wednesday, May 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia, Texas.
David was born March 29, 1927, to David E., Sr. and Neoma Holmes Toney in Beaumont, Texas. Mr. Toney was preceded in death by his devoted wife of 59 years, Carlene Jane, in 2009. Carlene and David suffered the tragic loss of their daughter, Dianna Olivia Sekulich, in 1995. A brother, Gerald Robin Toney, who retired after a long overseas career in the United States Foreign Service, died in 2009 in Reston, Virginia.
He is survived by a son, David Carl Toney and wife, Clara, of Angleton; a daughter, Rebecca Jane Hutchinson and husband, Jeff, of West Columbia; a brother Thomas Bea Toney and wife, Iryna D., of Summerville, near Charleston, South Carolina; sister-in-law Tuula Pirjo Toney of Reston, Virginia, widow of the late Gerald Toney; and, by Peggy Leigh, the former Peggy Wilborn of Port Lavaca, a loving lifetime friend, companion, and caretaker of David through the final years of his life. Also saddened by the loss of David's love, support, and companionship are ten grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and, many nieces, nephews and cousins.
David's father, David E. Toney, Sr., who was working as a roughneck in the East Texas oilfields, moved the family to Port Lavaca, Texas in 1935 to take a job as a driller on the first big natural gas well in the area. When the family lost their mother to illness, David Sr. faced a daunting struggle to care for his three boys while traveling from location to location to make a living. A Port Lavaca couple, Mack and Maude Rylander, and an elderly widow, Mrs. Jenny Goodrich, stepped in to provide care, support and love for the boys while their father traveled to drilling rig sites along the Gulf Coast. David Jr. (as did the other brothers) later graduated from Port Lavaca High School. He followed that with service in the United States Navy as a seaman second class. He attended Stanford University for a time ultimately graduating from the University of Texas in Austin. He remained a lifelong Longhorn – and Austin – fan returning to attend many games with his family and college buddies during the glory days of the Southwest Conference.
David spent over 60 years in the newspaper and publishing business. He started his career in 1949 as a part time general news and sports reporter for the Port Lavaca Wave. In Port Lavaca, he met and married the love of his life, Carlene Jane Johnson, in 1951. For a brief period in the early 1950s, he was employed as public relations manager for United States Cold Storage Corp. in Dallas.
In the summer of 1952, Toney went to work for The Temple Daily Telegram in Temple, Texas, as a general assignments reporter. He was the first newsman on the scene of the tragic crash that summer of two passenger buses near Temple that took more than 20 lives. Both Associated Press and United Press carried his news stories on the crash over the entire nation.
In the fall of 1952, Toney returned to Port Lavaca as editor of The Wave, a position he held until 1955 when he and his brother, Tom, founded a weekly newspaper, The Calhoun County Times. In producing The Times, they were among the first publishers who pioneered the introduction of newspaper offset printing in South Texas, converting their production from letterpress (use of lead type) to a process of photographically placing type and images onto sensitized aluminum sheets which "offset" the pages onto newsprint as it passed through the press.
By the late 50's, this process became the most popular form of commercial printing. This process lead to fewer and bigger printing facilities, but created a more economical method of production for many more hometown newspapers. In October of 1962, David and Carlene move to the West Brazos area and started The Brazoria County News. The couple together wrote, composed and produced the entire editorial and advertising content of this weekly newspaper. They spent many a late Tuesday night getting the paper camera-ready, transporting the copy to the press and waiting for the papers to be printed for distribution the next day.
West Columbia really became a hometown for David and Carlene as they embraced the people, the community and the history of the West Brazos area. Along the way, The Brazoria County News recorded government meetings, elections, school functions, sports activities, civic occasions, social events, and news stories in the West Brazos area. The News grew from a circulation of 3,000 in 1962 to over 11,000 today becoming a family enterprise employing many others from the community.
The Toneys acquired The Gulf Coast Tribune (Needville, Texas) in 1970 and The Palacios (Texas) Beacon in 1973 and continue to publish them today. They acquired the Oil City Visitor in Sour Lake, Texas in 1975 but it was later sold.
David was very active in civic functions serving as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Central Emergency Medical Services. He was named man of the year in 1996.
He was an avid skier, hunter and traveler, but most of all he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a role model for all instilling in his kids and grandkids a passion for life, a sense of fair play and respect for others.
Pallbearers will be grandsons Star Salzman, of Alaska; Michael Hudgeons, of South Dakota; Jake Toney, of West Columbia; Jared Dannhaus, of Pearland; Aleksandar Sekulich, of California; and, grandson-in-law, Chris Smith, of West Columbia. Columbia United Methodist Church men's Sunday school class will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m., Thursday, May 26 at Columbia United Methodist Church in West Columbia. Visitation is set for Wednesday, May 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia, Texas.
David was born March 29, 1927, to David E., Sr. and Neoma Holmes Toney in Beaumont, Texas. Mr. Toney was preceded in death by his devoted wife of 59 years, Carlene Jane, in 2009. Carlene and David suffered the tragic loss of their daughter, Dianna Olivia Sekulich, in 1995. A brother, Gerald Robin Toney, who retired after a long overseas career in the United States Foreign Service, died in 2009 in Reston, Virginia.
He is survived by a son, David Carl Toney and wife, Clara, of Angleton; a daughter, Rebecca Jane Hutchinson and husband, Jeff, of West Columbia; a brother Thomas Bea Toney and wife, Iryna D., of Summerville, near Charleston, South Carolina; sister-in-law Tuula Pirjo Toney of Reston, Virginia, widow of the late Gerald Toney; and, by Peggy Leigh, the former Peggy Wilborn of Port Lavaca, a loving lifetime friend, companion, and caretaker of David through the final years of his life. Also saddened by the loss of David's love, support, and companionship are ten grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and, many nieces, nephews and cousins.
David's father, David E. Toney, Sr., who was working as a roughneck in the East Texas oilfields, moved the family to Port Lavaca, Texas in 1935 to take a job as a driller on the first big natural gas well in the area. When the family lost their mother to illness, David Sr. faced a daunting struggle to care for his three boys while traveling from location to location to make a living. A Port Lavaca couple, Mack and Maude Rylander, and an elderly widow, Mrs. Jenny Goodrich, stepped in to provide care, support and love for the boys while their father traveled to drilling rig sites along the Gulf Coast. David Jr. (as did the other brothers) later graduated from Port Lavaca High School. He followed that with service in the United States Navy as a seaman second class. He attended Stanford University for a time ultimately graduating from the University of Texas in Austin. He remained a lifelong Longhorn – and Austin – fan returning to attend many games with his family and college buddies during the glory days of the Southwest Conference.
David spent over 60 years in the newspaper and publishing business. He started his career in 1949 as a part time general news and sports reporter for the Port Lavaca Wave. In Port Lavaca, he met and married the love of his life, Carlene Jane Johnson, in 1951. For a brief period in the early 1950s, he was employed as public relations manager for United States Cold Storage Corp. in Dallas.
In the summer of 1952, Toney went to work for The Temple Daily Telegram in Temple, Texas, as a general assignments reporter. He was the first newsman on the scene of the tragic crash that summer of two passenger buses near Temple that took more than 20 lives. Both Associated Press and United Press carried his news stories on the crash over the entire nation.
In the fall of 1952, Toney returned to Port Lavaca as editor of The Wave, a position he held until 1955 when he and his brother, Tom, founded a weekly newspaper, The Calhoun County Times. In producing The Times, they were among the first publishers who pioneered the introduction of newspaper offset printing in South Texas, converting their production from letterpress (use of lead type) to a process of photographically placing type and images onto sensitized aluminum sheets which "offset" the pages onto newsprint as it passed through the press.
By the late 50's, this process became the most popular form of commercial printing. This process lead to fewer and bigger printing facilities, but created a more economical method of production for many more hometown newspapers. In October of 1962, David and Carlene move to the West Brazos area and started The Brazoria County News. The couple together wrote, composed and produced the entire editorial and advertising content of this weekly newspaper. They spent many a late Tuesday night getting the paper camera-ready, transporting the copy to the press and waiting for the papers to be printed for distribution the next day.
West Columbia really became a hometown for David and Carlene as they embraced the people, the community and the history of the West Brazos area. Along the way, The Brazoria County News recorded government meetings, elections, school functions, sports activities, civic occasions, social events, and news stories in the West Brazos area. The News grew from a circulation of 3,000 in 1962 to over 11,000 today becoming a family enterprise employing many others from the community.
The Toneys acquired The Gulf Coast Tribune (Needville, Texas) in 1970 and The Palacios (Texas) Beacon in 1973 and continue to publish them today. They acquired the Oil City Visitor in Sour Lake, Texas in 1975 but it was later sold.
David was very active in civic functions serving as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Central Emergency Medical Services. He was named man of the year in 1996.
He was an avid skier, hunter and traveler, but most of all he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a role model for all instilling in his kids and grandkids a passion for life, a sense of fair play and respect for others.
Pallbearers will be grandsons Star Salzman, of Alaska; Michael Hudgeons, of South Dakota; Jake Toney, of West Columbia; Jared Dannhaus, of Pearland; Aleksandar Sekulich, of California; and, grandson-in-law, Chris Smith, of West Columbia. Columbia United Methodist Church men's Sunday school class will serve as honorary pallbearers.
David E. Toney, Jr., 89, retired publisher of The Brazoria County News, The Gulf Coast Tribune and The Palacios Beacon died Thursday, May 19 in Angleton, Texas after an extended illness.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m., Thursday, May 26 at Columbia United Methodist Church in West Columbia. Visitation is set for Wednesday, May 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia, Texas.
David was born March 29, 1927, to David E., Sr. and Neoma Holmes Toney in Beaumont, Texas. Mr. Toney was preceded in death by his devoted wife of 59 years, Carlene Jane, in 2009. Carlene and David suffered the tragic loss of their daughter, Dianna Olivia Sekulich, in 1995. A brother, Gerald Robin Toney, who retired after a long overseas career in the United States Foreign Service, died in 2009 in Reston, Virginia.
He is survived by a son, David Carl Toney and wife, Clara, of Angleton; a daughter, Rebecca Jane Hutchinson and husband, Jeff, of West Columbia; a brother Thomas Bea Toney and wife, Iryna D., of Summerville, near Charleston, South Carolina; sister-in-law Tuula Pirjo Toney of Reston, Virginia, widow of the late Gerald Toney; and, by Peggy Leigh, the former Peggy Wilborn of Port Lavaca, a loving lifetime friend, companion, and caretaker of David through the final years of his life. Also saddened by the loss of David's love, support, and companionship are ten grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and, many nieces, nephews and cousins.
David's father, David E. Toney, Sr., who was working as a roughneck in the East Texas oilfields, moved the family to Port Lavaca, Texas in 1935 to take a job as a driller on the first big natural gas well in the area. When the family lost their mother to illness, David Sr. faced a daunting struggle to care for his three boys while traveling from location to location to make a living. A Port Lavaca couple, Mack and Maude Rylander, and an elderly widow, Mrs. Jenny Goodrich, stepped in to provide care, support and love for the boys while their father traveled to drilling rig sites along the Gulf Coast. David Jr. (as did the other brothers) later graduated from Port Lavaca High School. He followed that with service in the United States Navy as a seaman second class. He attended Stanford University for a time ultimately graduating from the University of Texas in Austin. He remained a lifelong Longhorn – and Austin – fan returning to attend many games with his family and college buddies during the glory days of the Southwest Conference.
David spent over 60 years in the newspaper and publishing business. He started his career in 1949 as a part time general news and sports reporter for the Port Lavaca Wave. In Port Lavaca, he met and married the love of his life, Carlene Jane Johnson, in 1951. For a brief period in the early 1950s, he was employed as public relations manager for United States Cold Storage Corp. in Dallas.
In the summer of 1952, Toney went to work for The Temple Daily Telegram in Temple, Texas, as a general assignments reporter. He was the first newsman on the scene of the tragic crash that summer of two passenger buses near Temple that took more than 20 lives. Both Associated Press and United Press carried his news stories on the crash over the entire nation.
In the fall of 1952, Toney returned to Port Lavaca as editor of The Wave, a position he held until 1955 when he and his brother, Tom, founded a weekly newspaper, The Calhoun County Times. In producing The Times, they were among the first publishers who pioneered the introduction of newspaper offset printing in South Texas, converting their production from letterpress (use of lead type) to a process of photographically placing type and images onto sensitized aluminum sheets which "offset" the pages onto newsprint as it passed through the press.
By the late 50's, this process became the most popular form of commercial printing. This process lead to fewer and bigger printing facilities, but created a more economical method of production for many more hometown newspapers. In October of 1962, David and Carlene move to the West Brazos area and started The Brazoria County News. The couple together wrote, composed and produced the entire editorial and advertising content of this weekly newspaper. They spent many a late Tuesday night getting the paper camera-ready, transporting the copy to the press and waiting for the papers to be printed for distribution the next day.
West Columbia really became a hometown for David and Carlene as they embraced the people, the community and the history of the West Brazos area. Along the way, The Brazoria County News recorded government meetings, elections, school functions, sports activities, civic occasions, social events, and news stories in the West Brazos area. The News grew from a circulation of 3,000 in 1962 to over 11,000 today becoming a family enterprise employing many others from the community.
The Toneys acquired The Gulf Coast Tribune (Needville, Texas) in 1970 and The Palacios (Texas) Beacon in 1973 and continue to publish them today. They acquired the Oil City Visitor in Sour Lake, Texas in 1975 but it was later sold.
David was very active in civic functions serving as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Central Emergency Medical Services. He was named man of the year in 1996.
He was an avid skier, hunter and traveler, but most of all he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a role model for all instilling in his kids and grandkids a passion for life, a sense of fair play and respect for others.
Pallbearers will be grandsons Star Salzman, of Alaska; Michael Hudgeons, of South Dakota; Jake Toney, of West Columbia; Jared Dannhaus, of Pearland; Aleksandar Sekulich, of California; and, grandson-in-law, Chris Smith, of West Columbia. Columbia United Methodist Church men's Sunday school class will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m., Thursday, May 26 at Columbia United Methodist Church in West Columbia. Visitation is set for Wednesday, May 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia, Texas.
David was born March 29, 1927, to David E., Sr. and Neoma Holmes Toney in Beaumont, Texas. Mr. Toney was preceded in death by his devoted wife of 59 years, Carlene Jane, in 2009. Carlene and David suffered the tragic loss of their daughter, Dianna Olivia Sekulich, in 1995. A brother, Gerald Robin Toney, who retired after a long overseas career in the United States Foreign Service, died in 2009 in Reston, Virginia.
He is survived by a son, David Carl Toney and wife, Clara, of Angleton; a daughter, Rebecca Jane Hutchinson and husband, Jeff, of West Columbia; a brother Thomas Bea Toney and wife, Iryna D., of Summerville, near Charleston, South Carolina; sister-in-law Tuula Pirjo Toney of Reston, Virginia, widow of the late Gerald Toney; and, by Peggy Leigh, the former Peggy Wilborn of Port Lavaca, a loving lifetime friend, companion, and caretaker of David through the final years of his life. Also saddened by the loss of David's love, support, and companionship are ten grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and, many nieces, nephews and cousins.
David's father, David E. Toney, Sr., who was working as a roughneck in the East Texas oilfields, moved the family to Port Lavaca, Texas in 1935 to take a job as a driller on the first big natural gas well in the area. When the family lost their mother to illness, David Sr. faced a daunting struggle to care for his three boys while traveling from location to location to make a living. A Port Lavaca couple, Mack and Maude Rylander, and an elderly widow, Mrs. Jenny Goodrich, stepped in to provide care, support and love for the boys while their father traveled to drilling rig sites along the Gulf Coast. David Jr. (as did the other brothers) later graduated from Port Lavaca High School. He followed that with service in the United States Navy as a seaman second class. He attended Stanford University for a time ultimately graduating from the University of Texas in Austin. He remained a lifelong Longhorn – and Austin – fan returning to attend many games with his family and college buddies during the glory days of the Southwest Conference.
David spent over 60 years in the newspaper and publishing business. He started his career in 1949 as a part time general news and sports reporter for the Port Lavaca Wave. In Port Lavaca, he met and married the love of his life, Carlene Jane Johnson, in 1951. For a brief period in the early 1950s, he was employed as public relations manager for United States Cold Storage Corp. in Dallas.
In the summer of 1952, Toney went to work for The Temple Daily Telegram in Temple, Texas, as a general assignments reporter. He was the first newsman on the scene of the tragic crash that summer of two passenger buses near Temple that took more than 20 lives. Both Associated Press and United Press carried his news stories on the crash over the entire nation.
In the fall of 1952, Toney returned to Port Lavaca as editor of The Wave, a position he held until 1955 when he and his brother, Tom, founded a weekly newspaper, The Calhoun County Times. In producing The Times, they were among the first publishers who pioneered the introduction of newspaper offset printing in South Texas, converting their production from letterpress (use of lead type) to a process of photographically placing type and images onto sensitized aluminum sheets which "offset" the pages onto newsprint as it passed through the press.
By the late 50's, this process became the most popular form of commercial printing. This process lead to fewer and bigger printing facilities, but created a more economical method of production for many more hometown newspapers. In October of 1962, David and Carlene move to the West Brazos area and started The Brazoria County News. The couple together wrote, composed and produced the entire editorial and advertising content of this weekly newspaper. They spent many a late Tuesday night getting the paper camera-ready, transporting the copy to the press and waiting for the papers to be printed for distribution the next day.
West Columbia really became a hometown for David and Carlene as they embraced the people, the community and the history of the West Brazos area. Along the way, The Brazoria County News recorded government meetings, elections, school functions, sports activities, civic occasions, social events, and news stories in the West Brazos area. The News grew from a circulation of 3,000 in 1962 to over 11,000 today becoming a family enterprise employing many others from the community.
The Toneys acquired The Gulf Coast Tribune (Needville, Texas) in 1970 and The Palacios (Texas) Beacon in 1973 and continue to publish them today. They acquired the Oil City Visitor in Sour Lake, Texas in 1975 but it was later sold.
David was very active in civic functions serving as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Central Emergency Medical Services. He was named man of the year in 1996.
He was an avid skier, hunter and traveler, but most of all he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a role model for all instilling in his kids and grandkids a passion for life, a sense of fair play and respect for others.
Pallbearers will be grandsons Star Salzman, of Alaska; Michael Hudgeons, of South Dakota; Jake Toney, of West Columbia; Jared Dannhaus, of Pearland; Aleksandar Sekulich, of California; and, grandson-in-law, Chris Smith, of West Columbia. Columbia United Methodist Church men's Sunday school class will serve as honorary pallbearers.
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