Henry Bell Tollette, Jr.

Henry Bell Tollette, Jr. passed away on October 28, 2020 at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, California after suffering a series of strokes. Henry, or “Bud” to his legion of family, friends and fans, was born October 17, 1939 in Wisconsin and grew up in the city of Neenah.Bud graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Business and accepted a job with International Paper where he became immersed in the world of packaging, pulp and paper. Eventually, International Paper sent him to Sacramento, where he expanded the business to the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and throughout California. Specializing in marketing, package design, and product shelf life, Bud began his own marketing and consulting business, H.B. Tollette and Associates, where he enjoyed wonderful relationships with the fruit and nut growers of California’s Central Valley in addition to a business in Hawaii. Before beginning his professional life, Bud also served in the Air National Guard - an experience of which he was deeply proud.Bud indulged his love of travel by seeking and connecting with clients in England, Germany, Italy and Argentina. Often, these visits had hilarious moments such as a time he drove a car through a pedestrian mall in Bath, England while shouting  from the car window, “Sprechen Sie Deutsch?” while his horrified wife and youngest daughter were trying to duck below the windows.In almost 50 years of living in Sacramento, Bud had shed his Midwest accent but never his love for all things Midwestern (except for the University of Michigan) including the Green Bay Packers, Michigan State Spartans, Garrison Keillor, brats and beer, Wisconsin cheese, and Door County. An avid outdoorsman, Bud loved hiking, sailing, skiing, and spending time at the Lake Tahoe cabin he and his wife Sally owned. He devoted much of his time to philanthropic and community endeavors and serving on non-profit boards, including Capitol Public Radio, Boys and Girls Club of Sacramento, and Sacramento Country Day School. He was a fervid supporter of the First Tee of Greater Sacramento and Del Paso’s Financial Scholarship Program for club employees pursuing college.Bud relished opportunities to mentor young people by helping to establish programs and scholarships at Michigan State University. He and a colleague of Western Packaging Associating developed and instituted a Packaging Degree Program at San Jose State University, and he guest lectured periodically at Cal Poly and UC Davis. Bud’s packaging expertise led him to be retained as an expert defense witness in packaging lawsuits, which included his successful defense of Mr. Potato Head and Victoria’s Secret.Only rivaling his love of his family was Bud’s passion for golf, a sport he began at a young age on the course of North Shore Golf Club in Menasha, Wisconsin. He joined Sacramento’s Del Paso Country Club where he found many cherished golfing friends and served on the board of directors and as club president. Besides playing the course, he loved to go to the driving range where his gregarious nature led to conversations with strangers and friends, golf tips, and discussions about “The Game,” a daily occurrence at Del Paso. Without a doubt, Del Paso was his second home.Bud is survived by his best friend and soulmate of nearly 47 years, Sally Alexandra (Stuart) Tollette; his three children: Wylie Tollette (Terri), Hillary Buchanan Goodman (Noah), and Alexandra Tollette Biering (Brian), and his grandchildren: Garrett Tollette, Hannah Tollette, Lucy Buchanan, Charles Biering, and Desmond Biering. In addition, he is survived by his brother, Thomas A. Tollette (Christine) of Florida; two beloved brothers-in-law, Mike Stuart (Susie) and Stephen Stuart (Ann); and many beloved nieces and nephews in California and Florida.Our family thanks the doctors and nurses in Sutter Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit for the wonderful care they extended to Bud who never lost his sense of humor and irony through all the pain and suffering he endured. He was the eternal optimist who brought them joy and laughter, especially after brain surgery when he quipped to the brain surgeon, “Now, I have a new place to put my pens and pencils,” as he pointed to the hole in his head.Oh, how we all miss his humor, kindness, generosity, exuberance, and zest for life! A “Celebration of Life” is planned for this fall.