More detail on this person: Col. (ret) John Max
Toolson Jr., 80, died Wednesday morning, Feb. 11,
2015, in Buckeye, Ariz.
John was born in Logan, Utah, on Oct. 13, 1934, to
John Max Toolson Sr. and Norma Watson Toolson.
He was raised in Utah until his family moved to
Jerome, Idaho. John graduated from Jerome High
School in 1952 and from Idaho State University in
1956. He was commissioned into the United States
Army as a second lieutenant in 1956. He received a
master's degree from Central Michigan University
in 1975 and attended the National War College in
1976. He married his high school sweetheart, Janet
Marie Henry, in 1955, and they had two children,
Julie and John. After many years of marriage, they
divorced. John later married Jerre Lynn Nelson
McIntrye in 1988 and was a father to her sons,
Reggie and Jacoby.
John was a career Armor officer and Army aviator
for 27 years, attaining the rank of colonel. He
served two tours of combat in Vietnam. In Vietnam,
he commanded two Air Calvary troops of the 1st
Squadron, 9th Calvary, 1st Calvary Division: C
"Charlie" Troop, and briefly, B "Bravo" Troop. He
then became the executive officer "XO" for the
squadron, which he also commanded later in Fort
Hood, Texas. For his service to his country, he
was awarded numerous awards and decorations,
including the Silver Star, Legion of Merit,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal
with "V" device for valor, Army Commendation with
"V" device for valor and the Purple Heart. John
was rated in fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft
and, at the end of his service, he commanded as a
colonel, the 11th Aviation Group in Germany and
retired from the Army on March 1, 1980.
He returned to Jerome where he farmed for several
years prior to buying a small insurance agency. In
1987, he became a dealer for Pioneer Hi-Bred
International. He and his son have built one of
the largest dealerships in the western United
States. In addition to selling seed, they custom
plant more than 9,000 acres for their seed
customers.
John was active in local politics for a number of
years. He served on the Jerome County Planning
and Zoning Board for three years and was elected
to the Board of County Commissioners for two
terms from 1995 through 2001. After his community
service, he continued to be involved in his seed
and custom farming business, but to a lesser
degree, and eventually began to spend winters in
Arizona and summers in Idaho. He enjoyed the
benefits of semi-retirement, some of which were
golfing, riding, training and showing his horses,
as well as driving his Razor ATV across the
Arizona desert with his dog, Maximus, for the last
several years.
He will be remembered by those who loved him as
someone they could count on; someone who loved
them. He was generous and supportive of his
family. He was a regular contributor to the
Wounded Warrior Project, as well as Save the
Children. He supported local sports and youth
organizations.
He is survived by his wife, Jerre Lynn; his
daughter, Julie Principe; son, John (Vanessa) M.
Toolson III; stepsons, Reggie and Jacoby McIntyre;
sisters, Maxine Bell, Shari Oneida and Linda
Burton; many nieces and nephews; five
grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is
preceded in death by his parents, John M. Toolson
Sr. and Norma and Norman Barry; and two
nephews, Scott and Randy Bell.
A memorial for John will take place at 10 a.m.
Saturday, March 14, at the Jerome LDS 5th Ward
Chapel, 100 S. 50 E. in Jerome, Idaho. He will be
buried at a later date in Arlington National
Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the
Wounded Warrior Project
(www.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate) or mail to
Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517,
Topeka, KS 66675, or to St Jude's Children's
Research Hospital (www.stjude.org/) or mail to St
Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude
Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Arrangements are under the care of Farnsworth
Mortuary of Jerome.
This information was last updated 07/22/2016
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Date posted on this site: 04/13/2025
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