Alice Maxine Rackley Toldi
August 14, 1923 - November 24, 2021
Alice Maxine Rackley Toldi passed away on November 24, 2021. Alice Maxine Rackley Toldi born on August 14, 1923 to John Ervin and Opal Dallas Rackley. She came as a surprise when she was born 20 minutes after her identical twin sister Allene Prude. After Opal had given birth to Allene, the doctor exclaimed, “Tut tut Mrs. Rackley! I believe there’s another one in there!” She was born in Troy Mississippi during the depression era. Her father was a sharecropper, so she and her 3 sisters were no strangers to hard work. It was expected of them to get up early every morning to milk the cows and gather the eggs; and after school, to work in the fields picking and chopping cotton. She graduated from Pontotoc High School in 1941 as valedictorian and class President. The following summer, while working in the cotton fields, they were approached by a man from The Memphis School of Business who convinced their father that Allene and Maxine should come to Memphis as students. Tuition was $75 each. At the age of 17 they boarded a train for the 3 hour ride to Memphis. While attending The Memphis School of Business, they joined Temple Baptist Church where they were very active. Later, Maxine got a job at Associated Southern Industries (ASI) and had pretty much resigned herself to the fact that she would never marry. Then in 1959 a Hungarian refugee named Jeno Toldi came to work at ASI. They dated for 6 weeks before getting engaged. She would later tell that he never even kissed her until they got engaged. In January of 1961, they married. Never losing her strong work ethic, she worked long hours, never taking sick days and working so late on the day of her wedding shower, that the boss’s wife called her and told her to go home. One year and 3 months after they were married, she had her first son at the age of 38 and her second at the age of 41. She was heavily involved in Cub Scouts, PTA and church. She and Jeno developed an intense love for camping, spending much of their time after retirement camping and making friends at Buffalo River Arkansas until he passed away in 2008. She lived in their house on Christopher 56 years, until January 2020, when she moved to independent living at Kirby Pines with her twin sister Allene, something they had looked forward to doing for a long time. Everything she did however, was forged by her strong unwavering faith in God. She mirrored Christ’s mercy and grace as well as any human could manage to do. She could find good in anyone and would choose to focus on that, rather than the bad. Her spiritual gift was the “gift of gab”. She could, and would, talk to anyone. Her family would often tease her about the time she talked for 30 minutes to a stranger who accidentally called her number by mistake. She was genuine in all that she did. She sincerely cared about other people. It was not uncommon for her to invite strangers into her house, only to be reprimanded by her family. Her frustrated response was, “Well if I can’t help other people, what good am I?” She was content with her modest home and possessions, knowing that her true riches in Christ were waiting for her in eternity. She is predeceased by her parents, her husband Jeno Toldi, her sisters, Allene Rackley Prude, Kathryn Rackley O’Brien and Eva Rackley Rogers Nash. She is survived by her sons Marius Toldi and Yenci Toldi, and their wives whom she considered her daughters, Lisa Toldi and Helen Toldi. She is also survived by her 4 grandchildren Aubrey Toldi, Brennan Toldi (Taylor), Anna Toldi Heston (Tinsley) and Niklos Toldi (Kathleen). We would like to give a special “thank you” to each member of the staff in Kirby Pines nursing home. You all went out of your way to make Mom comfortable in her last days. You also went above and beyond to enable our family to be with her. We are eternally grateful for each of you. The family will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday, December 1 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Thursday December 2 at 10 a.m. in the Fireside Chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home. lieu of flowers, please send gifts to Memphis Union Mission in her name. Memorial park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN, 38119. (901) 767-8930.
Alice Maxine Rackley Toldi passed away on November 24, 2021. Alice Maxine Rackley Toldi born on August 14, 1923 to John Ervin and Opal Dallas Rackley. She came as a surprise when she was born 20 minutes after her identical twin sister Allene... View Obituary & Service Information