Our beloved Wilford "Wid" Judson Tolman, 95, peacefully left this earth on his eternal flight January 7, 2025, while held in a circle of love by his surviving children. Brigham Young University professor, husband, father, grandfather, pilot, Air Force veteran, youth leader, adventurer, and storyteller. Wid will continue to burn brightly in the hearts of the many he touched.

With a giant toothy smile and big hug, Wid was a human catalyst. He was always starting something, planning something, or organizing something, and always getting other people moving. He dreamt big and he delivered. Always showing up early to cook everyone breakfast on his custom-built grill.

Wid Tolman saw endless opportunities in lifting others. Together with his beloved wife Jane, they lived a life of faithful service, raising their four children in their Provo, Utah home, building a strong family.

He served two LDS missions, one in the Texas/Louisiana mission and the other in Alaska as a chaplain while serving in the United States Air Force. While stationed in Alaska, Wid also climbed multiple mountain peaks to develop an early warning system for the territory. He achieved his dream, a slot as a fighter pilot. Upon returning home to tell his family of this news, his local church leaders immediately warned him he was not to take his coveted pilot slot. He followed their counsel, and finished his Air Force commitment without becoming a pilot but going to BYU where he would meet his future wife Jane.

Wid loved to teach and influence others, and went on to become an esteemed professor of engineering at Brigham Young University. He was named teacher of the year four times and was honored with numerous awards. He regrets this obituary does not include visual aids.

Wid was a man of faith, he held numerous positions in the church but his true passion was in working with the youth. He developed and led a national youth program for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As a local youth leader, he was famous for leading 50 mile hikes through the Uinta Mountains and leading the "Huff and Puff" backpacking trip for the Young Women's Program. He was a leader in the Boy Scouts, organizing such events as the "Aerorama" that saw over 4000 scouts attend. He developed a High Adventure program for BYU personally guiding youth groups through the wilderness all over the country. He made lifelong friends and touched many lives doing these adventures.

Growing up in Burbank, California, he was captivated by the planes he saw in the skies over his house. Soon, he built his own model gliders and not long after his own full size glider. Wid also built two full-sized gliders in his Provo garage that he piloted and crashed along with his best friend Keith. As he grew older, he moved into model gliders and was an active and passionate member of Utah soaring clubs all his life. Wid built all his glider designs from his own imagination and experience, no kits for this engineer. One of his gliders is part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum.

Wid was preceded in death by wife Jane and son Steven. He is survived by his daughter Linda (Robert) Morgan, son Kent (Debbie) Tolman and daughter Sue (John) Pack. He has 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Services will be held on Saturday, January 18th, 10:00 Viewing, 11:00 am Service at the Provo LDS Church 4300 North Canyon Road, Provo, Utah. Interment to follow at East Lawn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to https://action.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/a/mowa-donation-form?ms=ads_gs_search202404_b&source=ads_gs_search202404_b&gad_source=1

to view the service online for Wid please click here. https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTczNjQ2ODkyNDM0NDgzNiZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==