[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 125 (Wednesday, August 1, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO TOBIAS ``TOBY'' GIACOMINI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 31, 2007

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness today to honor Tobias 
``Toby'' Giacomini who died July 17, 2007, at the age of 88. Toby was a 
long-time businessman and leader in the West Marin community whose 
warmth and generosity were as legendary as his' feed store and trucking 
enterprises.
  Born in Petaluma in 1918, Toby moved to Point Reyes Station almost 70 
years ago to manage the produce department in the Palace Market, which 
was purchased by his brother Waldo. A few years later, he acquired a 
truck and began a milk pick-up business, serving the far-flung ranches 
of the area. He soon expanded to include delivery of supplies and hay, 
later growing his own in Nevada, and opened Toby's Feed Barn to augment 
the delivery service.
  The trucking and feed barn businesses grew into two of the largest in 
the area, developing in new directions to meet the changing needs of 
the community. And Toby always claimed his success was due to 
conducting business with his word and a handshake, not formal 
contracts.
  In 1983, after a heart attack, Toby turned the businesses over to his 
sons, Joe, Toby, and Chris. However, he supervised both the business 
and Point Reyes Station's Main Street, from a rocking chair on the 
porch, where he always had a friendly word or a light-hearted joke to 
dispense along with a fresh selection from the store's produce stand. 
The accompanying twinkle in his eye never dimmed.
  Locals enjoyed stopping by for a friendly chat because they 
appreciated his care for his community and its future.
  Toby helped organize the West Marin Lions Club and was active in its 
Western Weekend Parade and Barbecue for many years. His support for the 
Halleck Creek Riding Club, which provides therapeutic horseback riding 
for the disabled, was crucial to the group's ability to serve an 
expanding need. He was a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, 
the Young Men's Institute's Petaluma Council, and the Sacred Heart 
Catholic Church, and always supported the schools and other local 
nonprofits. Seeing working families getting priced out of the 
community, he advocated for affordable housing, making it possible for 
a housing project to acquire land he owned to construct rental homes.
  Toby is survived by a loving family including his wife Vetalena 
``Vet''; daughter Carol; sons Joe, Toby, and Chris; a brother Ralph and 
sister Esther; as well as 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, Tobias Giacomini will be missed in West Marin. His 
memory will live on in his good works and in Toby's Feed Barn, now a 
gathering place on Main Street which is host to a community garden, a 
summer farmer's market, an art gallery, and many popular events and 
classes. He exemplifies what caring people who follow their hearts mean 
to a community.

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