James “Toby” Lee Tobison 64, of Fort Collins, Colorado died peacefully April 30, 2025 with his children by his side at Pathways Hospice care in Fort Collins.

He was born in Harvard, Illinois on January 20, 1961 to James Ronald Jacobson Jr and Martha Jean Tobison. By the age of 16 he had obtained his pilot’s license. He had a love and passion for flying. He went on to earn his high school diploma thereafter. He enlisted into the Army and was deployed to Germany in 1979. He served his term as a pershing missile crew member. He earned Army service ribbons, an Overseas service ribbon, and ribbons for being a sharpshooter. He was relieved of his active duty with an honorable discharge in 1985.

While overseas, he met Denise B. Gusinde. They had two children, Lindsey Michele, and Benjamin James. While in Germany “Toby” worked as a sound engineer at a nearby theater for two years before returning to the United States.

He went on to work music gigs all around as a sound engineer/stage management, retiring as a truck driver!

“Toby” is survived by his mother Martha Jean Tobison, sister Jean Wright, brother Louis Samuel Ryan, the mother of his children Denise B. Gusinde, his children Lindsey Michele Tobison, Benjamin James Tobison, daughter in law Shalaney Jo Tobison, his 3 grandchildren and his closest buddies Fred, Marty and Mike. He is preceded in death by his sister Cecelia Ann Wright.

There will be a celebration of life at a later date.

“Free at last to soar unfettered in the infinite”