Toby was born in Brooklyn, NY On March 7th, 1941 as the oldest child of Morris and Freda Dreyer. Growing up, Toby was the best friend of her younger sister Barbara and she treasured her baby brother Nat. Toby married Stephen Kazlow in Miami Beach, Florida on July 22nd, 1962. Not only was Toby in love with Steve but she adored his family and was especially close to her mother-in-law, Frances Kazlow. Toby and Steve moved from Florida to Atlanta, Georgia before finally settling into the home that they shared for over forty years in Richardson, Texas. She loved extreme couponing, coordinating market research projects, her pet birds, dogs, owls, her friends, her dear neighbors, tending to her orchids, a good Chinese buffet, attending the theater, and traveling the world with Steve.
There is a quote from the author John Steinbeck that says, “Perhaps it takes courage to raise children.” and fifty years before the terms ‘Boy Mom’ and ‘I Can’t My Kid Has Practice’ were printed on shirts sold in local boutiques, Toby Kazlow was a trendsetter as an original, and courageous-‘Boy Mom’. Toby was immersed in all things ‘boy’ with her three sons. There were soccer games and baseball practices, dirt bikes, endless laundry, mischievous pranks, and the occasional horseplay that would require her intervention when it got too rough. In both the difficult and happy times, Toby delighted in every moment with her boys.
Toby Kazlow enjoyed life and never met a stranger. She greeted everyone warmly with a hug and a kiss and they parted from her feeling like they had met up with an old friend. Anyone who ever had the opportunity to visit with Toby will tell you that she not only loved her boys (Robert, Stuart & Jason) and her nine grandchildren; but being their mother and grandmother was the truest joy of her life.
Steve passed in early 2020, and Toby moved from The Belmont on Turtle Creek in Dallas, to Rockwall in order to be closer to her youngest grandchildren. It was in Toby’s last years that she finally experienced what daily life was like with little girls as she was immersed in dress-up clothes, piano practice, crafts, and tea parties as she visited her three youngest granddaughters frequently.
She was quick to forgive, always optimistic, loved deeply, and took everything in stride. Toby passed from this world on August 31st, 2021, after a difficult bout with bilateral pneumonia.
She will be deeply missed with great sorrow by her children: Robert Kazlow of Dallas, Stuart Kazlow and his wife Jeri of Tyler, Jason Kazlow and his wife Daphnie of Royse City; and her ‘fourth son’ nephew: Harvey Glass and his wife Susan of Flowery Branch, Georgia. Her passing is felt with deep grief by her grandchildren: Andrew Kazlow & his wife, Dani, Allison Kazlow, Sarah Jane Donaldson & her husband Cole, Samuel Kazlow, Jaydin Kazlow, and Emma Kazlow & Rebecca-Ann Kazlow. Toby had been looking forward to the birth of her first great-grandchild, Ryder Donaldson due in October and now will miss the opportunity to meet him this side of Heaven. She will be missed by her beloved great-niece: Brooke Glass; cherished great-nephew: Josh Glass and his wife Kristin with their children Zach & JJ. Toby will be remembered with love and deep affection by her sister: Barbara Adelman of Sun City Florida; niece: Lisa Stein & her husband Joe with their children Rebecca and Anna, Benjamin Adelman and his wife Jennifer with their children Maxwell & Hannah; nephew: David Valentine and his wife Angie; brother: Nathaniel Dreyer and his wife Pamela of Allen, Texas; nieces: Sarah Filbert and her husband Frank, and Nicole Bywater and her husband Neil with their children Liam and Olivia; and loving sister-in-law: Marilyn Glasser of Gainsville, Georgia.
A celebration of Toby’s life will be held 1:00 pm September 13th, 2021, at Reflections at Rest Haven Funeral Home-Rockwall Location.
The service will also be live-streamed; please go to www.oneroomstreaming.com and click on the “watch your service” icon and use Event ID: resthavenrockwall and password: BA7Z6O
