STUART, Fla. – Barbara Ann Tolander went home to be with God on Sept. 23, 2025 in Stuart, Fla., surrounded by her family, after battling a long illness.

“Bobbie”, as she was known by all who knew her, was born April 18, 1951. She was the daughter of David and Barbara Gardner of West Hartford, Conn. Bobbie graduated from Central Connecticut State Collage with a BS in Education in 1973. After some years, she moved to Maine in 1987, serving as a professional substitute teacher, kindergarten through high school, in the Augusta area for her entire career. Bobbie loved teaching so much she also taught Adult Literacy and English as a second language.

Bobbie married her husband, Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Tolander in 1979. Bobbie loved to sing and when husband Stephen went to Togus VA Medical Center as Protestant Chaplain in 1987, she served as a volunteer and soloist until his retirement in 2008.

In addition to her loving husband of 46 years, she is survived by two sisters, Linda O’Connell of Burlington, Conn. and Susan Gardner of Polson, Mont. She is also survived by a stepdaughter, Stephanie Kuhlman of Fort Pierce, Fla., and step-grandchildren, Joel and Noah.

A funeral service will be held 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1850 6th Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32960. She will be laid to rest at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Fla. on Monday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach, Fla. An online guestbook is available at http://www.LowtherFamily.com