Rear Admiral Robert Lee Toney's Obituary
Admiral Robert Lee Toney
Robert Lee Toney, Rear Admiral (“RADM”) U.S. Navy (retired) passed away peacefully on November 4, 2016, in San Francisco, California. His full and well-lived life included a distinguished naval career, a loving marriage of 43 years to Flora (Wallace) Toney, a lifelong dedication to his large family and numerous friends around the world, and a passion for travel, history, and his community. RADM Toney will be remembered for his sense of purpose and service, his strong moral compass, and his faith in God, and for his love of life, his wife, his family, his friends and his country.
RADM Toney’s Early Years
Robert Lee Toney was born August 30, 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana, the second of James and Alice Toney six children.
RADM Toney’s parents moved their family out west to Oakland, California in 1942. From an early age RADM Toney had a very high regard for the armed forces and was often seen with his brothers at the Oakland Army base, shining shoes for the local service men.
His family moved to Oroville, CA in 1947. He attended Oroville High School from 1949 to 1952, and was both a scholar and athlete. His main sport was basketball, which he played all four years. He also participated in track and baseball, and earned Block O for three years.
For his athletic endeavors, RADM Toney was awarded a scholarship to Youngstown University in Ohio.
Academically in high school, RADM Toney was a member of the California Scholarship Federation for three years. He also participated in California Cadets Corps, where he was an officer for two years.
He was also a high school musician, playing the trumpet during football games, and a radio disc jockey during his high school career.
RADM Toney attended Youngstown University in Ohio from 1952-1954 and graduated from Chico State University in 1957 with a Bachelor degree in Social Science (Pre-Law).
RADM Toney’s Distinguished Military Career
RADM Toney had a distinguished naval career of 34 years which included assignments as: Deputy Commander, Naval Surface Forces US Pacific Fleet, Commander, Logistics Group One and Maritime Defense Command, and Commander, Navy Base San Francisco.
He service began in 1957, when he entered Officer’s Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in October 1957.
One of RADM Toney’s many significant achievements in life came during the late 1960s, when he was on a tour of duty in Washington, D.C., and spearheaded a program to place more minorities into the commissioned officers ranks.
He was responsible for bringing many minorities into officer positions, and was proud that a list of 27 recommendations, including one to place Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps units at two predominantly black colleges. His list was approved in its entirety by then, Chief of Naval Operations and now deceased Admiral Elmo Zumwalt.
In 1977, RADM Toney had the distinction of being selected to attend the international military college for North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries (NATO) in Rome, Italy. Upon completion he served on the Staff of Commander, Allied Forces, Southern Europe as a Chief Staff Officer; Commander Service Group One.
RADM Toney was the commanding officer of two naval vessels during his career; the USS Kiska (AE-35) an ammunition ship and part of the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force from November 1975 to December 1976 and the USS Roanoke (AOR-7) a Wichita-class replenishment oiler for the Western Pacific from August 1983 to July of 1984.
RADM Toney was promoted to flag officer in 1894. During his stint as a Rear Admiral he was the Commander, Navy Base San Francisco, where he managed more than 60,000 people from Monterey to the Northern California border, with a payroll at the time of $2.6 billion. In addition, RADM Toney worked tirelessly with Mayor Feinstein in an effort to base the battleship Missouri in San Francisco.
RADM Toney’s last command was as Director for Logistics and Security Assistance, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. He advised the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command on all matters dealing with the defense of the United States through bilateral logistics agreements, cooperatives funds, logistics planning, transportation, civil engineering and security assistance.
He was responsible for all U.S. military facilities resources in the 100-million-square-mile Pacific Area from the West Coast of the United States to the East Coast of Africa.
Rear Admiral Toney was decorated for his service, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Navy Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
RADM Toney’s Achievements in the Private Sector
From 1991 to 1996, RADM Toney was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. RADM Toney was also the Executive Vice President of Business Development of F.E. Jordan and Associates. His business and community affiliations include: Past Interim President, Bay Area Urban League; Director, Bank of the West; Director, Levine-Fricke-Recon Advisory Board; Director, Junior Achievement of the San Francisco Bay Area; and Member, President’s Advisory Board, Chico State University.
RADM Toney holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA, and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from National University, San Diego, CA, and a B.A. Social Sciences (Pre-law) Chico State University, Chico, CA. He is also a Graduate, of the National and International Security Course, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA.
RADM Toney’s Community Outreach
RADM Toney had strong beliefs regarding giving back to his community and he did so in various ways including: serving as director on several boards, including United Way, World Affairs Council, Commonwealth Club, Volunteers of America and the Oakland Boys and Girls Club.
In closing
RADM Toney was preceded in death by his wife and true love Flora and is survived by his two daughters Kimberly and Kelly Toney and son Robert Northmore Toney, daughter in-law Victoria and his grandson Ben Oliver. Also he is survived by his brothers Glen and Charles Toney and sister Virginia Walker, his god-daughters Nicole Hickman and Taylor Brooks and god-son Charles Brooks Jr, dear friend Velma Chavis, along with a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to one of the following organizations:
Coming Home hospice, the regional hospice organization (www.cpmc.org);
National Naval Officers Association, which supports the U. S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the recruitment, development and retention of a diverse Officer Corps (www.nnoa.org);
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland, whose purpose is to develop Oakland community’s youth into positive contributors to society (www.bgcoakland.org).
Visitation – Viewing
Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Time: 6:00 pm – 8;00 pm – Public
Location: Chapel of Chimes
4499 Piedmont Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611
Funeral
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2016
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Location: Cathedral of Christ of Light
2121 Harrison Street
Oakland, CA 94607
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