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Randy Tolman (1967)
O.K. I'll give it a try. I was born in Blackfoot, Idaho July 24, 1948. Mom, Dad and my two brothers (Wallace & Fred) were all born in Idaho. The 5 of us moved to Houston, Texas in 1952. We lived in a Trailor House on some friends lot on Fairbanks St. off Jenson Dr. for about a year. Then we rented a house one block over on Woodard St. before we were able to buy our new home at 2331 Goodloe St. between Parker Rd. and Little York off Aldine Westfield. We moved there in August of 1954, I was 6yrs. old and I started E.R. Coop Elementery in September. I went to Coop, Fonville Jr. High, and Sam Houston High School, where I graduated on January 20, 1967. I should have graduated in 1966 but I failed the High 4th and was put back 1/2 year. At Sam I was very involved in the FFA where I served as President for my High 11 - Low 12 year ('65-'66). I tried to play football a little, but never was much good at it. I joined the U.S. Marine Corps in on December 27, 1966 (on the 120 day delay program. So that gave me time to finish HS.) I served 4 years in the Marines, San Diego & Camp Pendelton, CA, Aveation School at Millington, Tenn., Helicopter Squardern 162 in New River, N.C. In January 1968 we embarked on board the USS Boxer for a 8 month assignment in the Caribbean Sea.We visited places such as Cuba, Vieques, Panama, St. Thomas, Proto Rico, Trinadad, Tabago, St. Crox and Jamacha where we intered the harbor on April 4, 1968 but were not able to leave the ship because of the ritos taking place in the city of Kingstown due to the tragic event that took place in Memphis, TN on that date in history. (the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.) We returned to New River, NC in September ot 1968 and in October I took a 5 day leave, went home to Houston and married the love of my life, Dionie Bates from Aldine. Dionie and I went back to New River where we lived in base housing until I received orders to go to Veit Nam in April 1969. She returned to Aldine to stay with her parents and I served my time in hell as a Helicopter Crew Chief with HMM 162 in the Northern I Corps of Viet Nam '69-'70. Just writing this little bit about it brings tears to my eyes. "WAR IS HELL." Thank God I made it home (almost in one peice) to my sweet wife and our 9 month old daughter, Denise. We three went back to N.C. where I served out the remainder of my enlistment with HMM 402 (a training squardren). I was honerably discharged in April 1971 as a Sergant E-5 after serving 4 years in the Marine Corps. We came home to Texas. We bought a house on the North Side of Houston (E. Mt Houston and US 59) on Newhall St. While we were there our son Jeffery was born. In 1976 we moved to Aldine on Sellers Rd. I worked as a pressman for Anderson Clayton's Gulf Atlantic Distribution Warehouse (59 & Quitman) until I was transfered to Ranger Insurance Co. on Westhimer. I worked days and I enrolled in North Harris County Collage night school and became one of the first graduating students at the new campus on WW Thorn Dr. where I recevied my Associate of Arts degree in August 1978. While we lived on Sellers Rd. (on April 15, 1979 Easter Sunday) my life took on a whole new direction. Dionie told me she was going to take the kids to church that day and asked me if I wanted to go with them. I said OK and we went to the Church of God of Prophecy on Aldine Mail Rt. It was at that service I first heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how He is the Son of God who was sent into the world to love and forgive us of our sin, paid the price for our salvation on the cross, and rose again to conqure death and the grave on our behalf. I asked Jesus to forgive me, and save my sinful soul. AND HE DID! God called me into His service. I studied through the Bible Training Institute in Cleaveland, TN and was liceanced as a minister in the Church of God in 1982. In September of '81 our little family moved to Cleveland, Texas where we served as pastor for 5 years. In 1987 we transfered to Austin, TX and served there for 6 years. While serving in Austin our Texas orgination purchased a 42 acer camp ground in Warda, TX (between LaGrange and Giddings) and I served as the first caretaker of Camp Lst Pines until August 1994. Denise married while we were in Austin and Dionie, Jeff and I moved to San Antonio where Dionie and I served as teachers at Truth Christian Accademy until July of 1997. While teaching at TCA we also pastored a small church in Kingsville, TX on our three day weekends, for one year. In July '97 we moved back to Houston, back to Aldine and back to our home church on Aldine Mail Rt. where we served as pastor for the next 17 years. Jeffery married while we were in Houston. In 1999 we founded Right Way Christian Academy (grades K-12) and opperated it until 2013. In June of 2013 Dionie and I moved to Warda, TX (Camp Lost Pines) where we now serve as the manager of the camp grounds. We have been married for 49 years and 11 months (today) and are looking forward to our 50th Anniversary next month if the Lord is willing to allow it to happen. I was ordained as a Bishop in the Church of God of Prophecy on July 10, 2002. Our campground is about to celibrate its 30th anniversary & camp reunion day on November 17, 2018. I want to invite you ALL to come out and enjoy the day with us. There is no charge and we will have a BBQ chicken lunch for all PS. I'm sorry for the misspelling but I could not find the spell check and I did go to Sam. lol.
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