Aug. 29, 1946 - Jun. 15, 2018
Date of Service: Jun. 21, 2018
BURLEY – Katherine Deniese Tolman, age 71, passed away Friday, June 15, 2018, in her home surrounded by her family.
She was born on August 29, 1946, at the Cottage Hospital in Burley, Idaho, to Hyrum William “Bill” and Katherine Holm Rice. Deniese was the oldest of three children born to Bill and Katherine. She had a sister, Beverly Jane Smith (Bill), and a brother, William Dennis Rice (Susie). Her search for her true love gave her three children, Danny Eugene Pace (Tammie), David Earl Pace (Corinna) and Kimberly Robinson (Ronnie). On November 25, 1989, she married the love of her life, Jerry Matt Tolman, in Elko, Nevada, and gained two more sons, Tracy Tolman (Ella) and Rodney Tolman (Luann). In 1993, when their children were all grown, they restarted their journey and took on two of their granddaughters to raise as their own; Breanna (Pace) Smith (Loren), and Shawna (Pace) Nichol (Jared).
Deniese enjoyed golfing, reading, home decorating, making flower arrangements and spending time with her family and friends. Early in her career, she worked at Wes’s Welding and finished her career at Pickett Equipment. Not long after her retirement, she had her second and third battles with cancer. Though she did not have an easy battle, she put up a good fight until the end.
Deniese is survived by her mother, Katherine Rice; her siblings, Dennis Rice, Beverly Smith (Bill), Melva Bean, Carol Brimhall (Keith), Linda Childs (Bruce), and Lorna Bunting (Jim); her children, Danny Pace (Tammie), Kim Robinson (Ronny), Tracy Tolman (Ella), Rodney Tolman (Luann), Breanna Katherine Smith (Loren), and Shawna Marie Nichol (Jared); her grandchildren, Rocky (Jessica), Josh, Tyson, Max, Alysha (Ron), Mason, and Rebeca; and 15 great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father, Bill; her husband, Jerry; sister-in-law, Susie; brothers-in-law, Les Bean and Ivan Avery, son, David Earl Pace; daughter-in-law, Corinna JoAnn Pace; and grandchildren, Bobbi Jo Fortier and Theron Wade Pace.
Deniese will be laid to rest at a graveside memorial service at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 21, at Gem Memorial Gardens, 2435 Overland Avenue in Burley.
The family would like to thank the medical teams at Cassia Regional Hospital, Mountain States Tumor Institute Boise, St. Luke’s Boise, St. Luke’s Twin Falls, Minidoka Home Health and Hospice, and Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.
We would also like to extend a special thanks to the entire infusion center team at Cassia Regional Hospital and Michelle at Minidoka Home Health and Hospice You have become her second family during the day, brightened the last years of her life, and gave her a reason to get out of bed in the end. We will never be able repay the kindness you have shown to our special lady.
