Philip Marston Toms

Philip Marston Toms, 86, of Northfield, passed away peacefully on March 5, 2026. Born on January 19, 1940, in Nevada, Iowa, to Clyde Vernon and Margaret Eleanor (McGinnis) Toms, Phil grew up on the family farm east of Ames alongside his siblings Donald, Annie, and David. After graduating from Ames High School in 1957, he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University, followed by a graduate degree in Agricultural Engineering.

Phil spent 38 years at The Toro Company in Bloomington, where he worked in Design Engineering, supporting the company’s line of riding greens mowers. In 1968 he met Cheryl, and they married on January 17, 1970, in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin. They made their home first in Savage, then Credit River, and in 1977 moved to rural Webster, where they lived for nearly five decades before settling in Northfield in 2024. Their sons, Brian Lee and Steven Michael, were born in 1973 and 1975.

Phil and Cheryl shared a love of fishing, scenic drives, and watching wildlife from their backyard. Devoted dog lovers, they filled their home with music and the sounds of the speakers Phil built with skill and enthusiasm as a longtime member of the Audio Society of Minnesota. An avid reader and enthusiastic griller, he was known for his deep respect for education and for his steadfast belief in repairing rather than replacing—whether tending to a machine or offering patient guidance to his sons.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl; sons Brian (Jennifer) of Maple Grove and Steven (Alicia) of Minneapolis; grandchildren Andrew, Avery, Rylee, and Taylor; and siblings Annie Hull and David Toms. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Donald.