Fred A. Tovani – Enjoyed sailing

Fred A. Tovani, 77, passed away in Santa Rosa on July 15, 2004.
He was born on July 22, 1926 at home on 6th Street near downtown
Santa Rosa. Fred was the dearly beloved husband of Mary Tovani of
Santa Rosa; father of Gail Tovani Wright and her husband Tom of
Santa Rosa, Robert Tovani and his wife Janiele of Piedmont and
Steve Tovani and his wife Lorrie of Alamo; grandfather of John,
Nick, Katie, Ryan, David, Dominic and Daniel; cousin of Eleanor
Leone of Santa Rosa, Marjorie McDough of Santa Rosa and Lorraine
Owens of Auburn. He was a fourth generation Santa Rosan and a
United States Navy Veteran of World War II. As a boy he spent
summers hiking or riding his horse around the hills of Santa Rosa
and Healdsburg. He also spent time on his grandfather’s ranch on
Westside Road picking prunes and hops as well as enjoying the
Russian River. In his youth he was active in both the Boy and Sea
Scouts, achieving the level of Eagle Scout. He was an avid sailor
who built, owned and raced sailboats, racing for many years
throughout the lakes of Northern California. His favorite sailing
spots included both Lake Pillsbury and Tomales Bay, where he spent
countless hours enjoying the companionship of family and friends. A
Boy Scout Leader, baseball coach, gardener, fisherman, back packer,
and tireless husband and father. Fred worked for Pacific Telephone
for 38 years, until he started his own telecom business, Northcoast
Telephone Systems. He was a member of St. Eugene’s Catholic Church
and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Fred’s family and friends will
miss him very much but he will always be remembered for his kind
ways and infectious smile. A funeral mass was held on Tuesday, July
20, 2004 at St. Eugene’s Cathedral in Santa Rosa. If desired,
donations in his memory may be made to Memorial Hospice, 821
Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401.