Sept. 10, 1927 ~ Jan. 8, 2023
Aileen Dorothy Starkey Tolley, age 95, of Dinosaur, Colorado, passed away peacefully on Jan. 8, 2023.
Aileen was born to Arthur and Erma (Tomasheska) Starkey on Sept. 10, 1927, in Elyria, Ohio.
Growing up in the “Great Depression“ and WWII era, she learned early the meaning of the phrase “God, Family, Country” and lived her entire life by those three words. Because she was an “A” student throughout high school, she was permitted to work afternoons along with her two sisters and classmates in the factories of Ohio for the war effort. Aileen, or Dot as she was known to her friends, spray painted the wings of bomber planes that would help to win WWII. Although they never had a homecoming or prom, due in part to the lack of boys who fudged their age and enlisted in the service, they didn’t complain. Aileen graduated high school in 1945 with honors. Her dream of becoming a medical doctor was never realized as she married William Tolley on June 16, 1945, when he returned from fighting in Europe WWII.
Aileen’s service continued throughout her life, teaching Sunday school for over 50 years, helping with veterans including her brother-in-law Samuel (a POW for three years in Germany) until his death, helping the VFW, American Legion, voting booths, serving on Dinosaur Town Council, etc. After losing their first child, Patrick Stephen Tolley at two days of age, they went on to have seven more children. Bill (Doris-deceased), Edward (KIA Vietnam), Arthur (deceased) (Lydia), Aileen/Ciss, Frank (Tena), Samuel (Lonnie), Mark (Bertha); 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Aileen became a “Gold Star “mother in May of 1969 when one of her two oldest sons (both fighting in Vietnam), Edward, was killed in action (KIA). Aileen would lose a third son, Arthur, to cancer in 2011. Upon moving to Dinosaur in 1971 (a drier climate to help her husband who was suffering from emphysema) they immediately began to place U.S. flags on the graves of the veterans in the Dinosaur Cemetery, a service which she continued to present day. After losing her husband to emphysema in 1974, she finished raising her three youngest children on her own. Aileen began cooking at the Dinosaur school in 1971 and continued for almost 30 years, her love of children always evident. Aileen believed in the importance of education and returned to school at CNCC, graduated with Honors and an AAS degree in the 1980s.
In 2015 Aileen was instrumental in starting the Tolley Family Scholarship and enjoyed reviewing applicants and reading about their dreams and aspirations. She remained active in the church throughout her entire life and loved to teach children about Jesus and the teachings of the Bible. Aileen’s faith was tested many times in her life, but losing three children put it to the ultimate test. She never wavered. God, Family, Country.
