Isaiah 60:1 NIV - "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you".  That was the "verse of the day" from the Bible App, on January 6, 2026, the day the Lord called Helen Priscilla Tolar home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today, we are grateful to God for having known Priscilla, and to know that the glory of the Lord is upon her.  Helen Priscilla, or best known as "Mamaw" to her family, was born December 31, 1929, in Hearne, Texas to James Franklin Youngblood and Emma Toth Youngblood.  She celebrated her 96th birthday surrounded by family members, just days before being taken home. Priscilla and W.T. (Tom) Tolar Sr. raised three children, William Thomas (Tom) Tolar Jr., Mary Deane Tolar (Jackson), and Donna Tolar (Baumgartner).

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of over 60 years, W.T. "Tinker" Tolar Sr., her daughter Mary Deane Tolar Jackson, her brother James (Jimmy) Youngblood, and her sister Mary Ann Horrell.

Priscilla is survived by her son W.T. (Tom) Tolar Jr. & wife Sharon Collins Tolar, daughter Donna Tolar Baumgartner and husband Herb, sister Emma Deane Skroh Woody; son in law James "Jim" Jackson, seven grandchildren:  Christopher T. Tolar (wife Laura), Valerie Tolar Harvey (husband Bryan), Laura Jackson Wilson (husband Dusty), Jay T. Jackson (wife Karen), Herbert T. Baumgartner, Ben  Baumgartner (wife Jessica), Helen Baumgartner Taylor (husband Brad); as well as a total of fifteen great- grandchildren:  Coleman and Harrison Tolar, Deacon and Hayes Harvey, Abby, Maddie, and Andrew Wilson, Evie and Wes Jackson, Charlotte, Danny, Lydia, and Blythe Baumgartner, Clay and Joseph Taylor.

"Mamaw" was many things to each member of her friends and especially to her loving family, who each adored her for something special she exhibited to all.  Each of us is a better person to have had her in our lives. For that, we are extremely fortunate, and grateful to have had her as a shining example of what it meant to be a Christian, a friend, a teacher, a kind soul, and always, a lady. Simply put, she represented all that is good in the world. This is her legacy to each of us.

Having graduated from Ennis High School, class of 1947, she carried with her a lifetime of wisdom, love, laughter, and sense of caring for and toward others.  She survived the harsh years post the Great Depression, learning to make do with what was available.  After marrying Tom Sr. she raised her three children during the post-WW2 Ennis, within a Christian household, led Girl Scout Troops, chaperoned band trips, volunteered at football concession stands, served as a teacher's aide for Ennis ISD, and served as a children's Sunday school teacher at Tabernacle Baptist Church.  For over fifty years, Priscilla and Tinker were members of Baylor Baptist Church where she enjoyed volunteering and sharing her good food with her church family.

She had many hobbies, including sewing, and traveling with her family.  Perhaps her favorite hobby, aside from watching "Wheel of Fortune", was her deep love of nature, especially plants, and birds.  Her favorite bird was always the male Cardinal or "Red Bird" as she called them, for which she had many paintings, photographs, pillows, ceramics, coffee mugs, and other curios.

Regarding plants, she truly had a "green thumb".  Many would bring sick or dying plants to her which she would nurse back to full health.  She had a special patio custom built to incorporate natural light, complete with a cutout of the foundation that went straight to natural subsurface, within which she would lovingly tend to her plants.  She had been known to speak to her plants, and if given enough warning, she would even spank them if they did not do what they were told.  Believe it or not, it worked…the plants knew they had best get in line and grow right!  Mamaw saw beauty in nature, and she saw the best in everyone she met.  Consequently, she caused those who knew her to seek to be better themselves. That might be the best lesson she taught any of us.

In her later years, having lost her husband, she did not wither away but rather she took up residence at Brookdale (now North Pointe Ennis), where she was reunited with old friends and made new friends as well. Priscilla was happy doing the things she loved to do, such as playing games of 42, straight dominoes, Bingo, and the frequent trips to Oklahoma where she would on occasion, let slide the fact that she was a Baptist, and play the slots.  Priscilla developed a sweet tooth and loved to eat dessert before dinner.  She was of that generation that always believed, "Save your fork, the best is yet to come!"

She rarely stayed in her room and enjoyed "redecorating" as she took it upon herself to move a potted plant that she felt needed a bit more or less sun or moving things to a better location.  The family would especially like to thank the dedicated staff at Brookdale for their loving care of Mamaw in her final years. Priscilla was there nine years, and the staff truly gave her special love and care.  They treated her like their very own family, keeping her comfortable and at home in her own bed until her last breath. It was well with her soul always.

The only suffering today is down here, where she will be so deeply missed by us and all that knew her and called her friend, or mom, or Mamaw.  However, the family believes that, aside from a long reunion with so many of her friends, her family, and her husband, if she were here, having spent just one day in Heaven, she would tell each one of us quite plainly… " Save your fork, the best is yet to come".

VISITATION: Friday, January 9, 2026 at 10 a.m. in the J. E. Keever Mortuary Chapel.

FUNERAL SERVICE will follow at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Chet Hensley officiating. Pallbearers will be: Chris Tolar, Bryan Harvey, Herbert Baumgartner, Ben Baumgartner, Brad Taylor and Freddy Santos.

Interment will follow in Myrtle Cemetery, under the direction of J. E. Keever Mortuary, Inc.