John Clifford Tolbert was born in Wray Colorado on April 22, 1944 to Dorothy Lantz Tolbert and John Darrell Tolbert. He was the oldest grandchild of Clifford and Rachel Lantz and Lucille Tolbert, all of Yuma. He lived in Yuma with his parents, sister Julianne and younger brother Randal until August of 1955 when the family moved to Eagle, Colorado.
John graduated from Eagle Valley High School in May of 1962 and went on to attend Rangely college. He joined the United States army in 1964. After leaving the army he then studied to become a radiology technician at St Joseph School of Radiology in Denver, Colorado, graduating in 1967. He cared for many patients in several Denver hospitals and also spent a year at Yuma hospital.
In 1980 he married Gladys Boyce. They lived in Denver until his death in November 2024. John is survived by his wife, Gladys Boyce Tolbert, his aunt, Bonnie Lantz Smith, his sister, Julianne Tolbert Ridgway and by husband Charles, brother Randal Tolbert, four nephews, Charles Ridgway, Jr and family, Alexander Ridgway and family and Stephen Ridgway and family, Jacob Tolbert and family and niece Erin Tolbert; also many cousins.
A service was held at Yuma cemetery on September 13, 2025.