Donald Keith Tosten, age 79, born Donald Keith Tilford, and known by many as “Buzzy” passed away from liver cancer with his family by his side on July 15, 2017, at his home in Branscomb CA. Born April 13, 1938, in Ely, Nevada, to the late Laine Thomas Tilford and Wilda Nowlin, he later took his late stepfather, Merton Tosten’s, last name.
Don, a proud Miwok Native American, began logging with his family at the age of 10 on their homestead in Branscomb, CA. At the age of 15, he was at the time, the youngest pilot to solo. Don graduated from Northrup Institute of Technology in Inglewood, CA and managed airports in Carson City, NV, Sparks, NV, and Tosten Aircraft in Cloverdale, CA where he was an aerobatic pilot, mechanic, and licensed inspector. Don operated heavy equipment, and along with utilizing his engineering skills to build ponds, roads and dams, he also assisted the forestry in fighting fires. Buzzy had many talents including woodworking, home building, drawing and restoring old cars and equipment. He was a man of many talents, in fact, too many to list.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jean DeChant Tosten: along with his first wife, Dorothy Lee Freeman and two children: Donald Edgar Tosten of Willits, CA, and Deevinda Lee Tosten of Jamul, CA; his grandchildren: Donnell Victor Blasi, Dakota Lee Blasi of Jamul, CA and Jocelynn Guinevere Tosten of Grass Valley, CA; his great-grandchildren: Jude Hawk Tremblay and Jaxyn Hawk Tremblay of Grass Valley, CA; his sister Gloria “Truli” Koski of Orangevale, CA; and in loving spirit, his stepson Robert Warren Sutliff and his sister Leslee Luna who passed away of breast cancer in 2010.
Donald’s family and close friends will celebrate his life in a private ceremony at the family cemetery. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be sent to the American Cancer Society.
