Obituary for Sarah Toney

On Wednesday, April 21, 2021, Sarah Riffe Toney, loving wife and mother, passed on to eternal life at the age of 71. Sarah was born on October 7, 1949, in Oklahoma City to her loving parents, Alice Allene (Rives) and Lavern Edgar “Ed” Riffe. She was the 5th daughter of the six “Riffe Girls”. She graduated from Monte Cassino in Tulsa, Oklahoma, proud member of the class of 1967. She attended University of Arkansas where she studied interior design. On May 25, 1990, she married the love of her life, Frank L. Toney. Together, they raised their blended family and shared a love of travel. They spent many wonderful years in Arizona with friends from all over the country. She was a fabulous baker and loved recreating heirloom recipes for her family. She was a devoted caretaker to her husband for 13 years after he suffered an acute stroke and passed away in 2018. Life took an unexpected turn when her son Jack suffered a traumatic brain injury 4 years ago. She was diligent about taking Jack on special outings and exposing him to his new world of adaptive golf and tennis. Sarah was very grateful for the years they had together before her cancer diagnosis. Sarah is survived by her loving son Jack Daily (Oro Valley, AZ), son, Jeff Toney (Jennifer, Lexington, KY) and daughter, Joanne Toney Deville (Judd, Gilbert, AZ), grandsons John, Alex, Sam, Jay and Brooks, her five sisters, Sandra Newport (John), Martha Riffe (deceased), Jeannie Johnson West, Susan Suliburk (Bill), and Cindy Kirsch (Bruce); as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and faithful friends. The family requests that donations be made in Sarah Riffe Toney’s memory to Friends of Aphasia, Barrow Neurological Institute or Monte Cassino School. 

A celebration of life will be celebrated at St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church, 2727 W. Tangerine Road, Oro Valley, AZ on Monday, April 26th, 2021. The Memorial Mass begins at 10:00 am.  The interment will be at The Redemptorist Renewal Center in Tucson on a later date.