Mary (Tolle) Strain

Mary (Tolle) Strain died Feb. 15. She was 87.

Strain was born on April 3, 1933, in Livermore. She attended St. Michael’s School and graduated from Livermore High School in 1951. After graduation, she went to work for California Research and Development(CR&D), and was later hired by the University of California Radiation Laboratory (UCRL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She left UCRL in 1960 to start her family but returned to LLNL in the 1970s.

While working at CR&D, she met Earl Strain. They married in 1958 and made their home in Livermore, where they raised their three daughters, Sandra “Sandy” Jackson, Laura Dunkerly (Bill), and Maria Strain (Dave Weaver). They have seven grandchildren, nine great grandsons and three great granddaughters.

Gardening was one of her favorite hobbies. Spring was her favorite time of the year, with everything blooming for Easter. She and her husband loved to host every family gatherings in their home and made sure everyone had their favorite food item on the menu.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Earl, and their family, as well as her oldest brother, John Tolle, and her cousin, Anita (Caratti) Gandolfo. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Gioconda “Josephine” Tolle, and her brothers, James and Robert. 

To honor her wishes, there will not be a memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Michael’s Church in her name would be appreciated.