Waring Barton Tolley (my maternal grandfather) and Flavia Iona Hitchcock Tolley (my maternal grandmother). My grandmother was a schoolteacher in a one-room schoolhouse in Monkton, MD. My grandfather's ancestral home was within walking distance of the schoolhouse, and my grandfather would go over and shovel off the steps at the school. This is how they met one another.

My grandparents enjoyed dates in Washington, D.C. They married on June 29, 1921, raised seven children, and were married for 58 years (until my grandmother's death) in 1979.

They are my inspiration for WB Tolley Eyewear. My grandfather, W.B. Tolley, was an equestrian and country gentleman with a keen sense of humor and a love of singing. One of his favorites was "Show Me The Way To Go Home."



My grandmother Flavia was a voracious reader, avid crossword puzzle fan, naturopathic healer, and beloved wife, mother, friend and schoolteacher. They fostered interests in politics, civic responsibility, gardening, reading, music and intellectual curiosity in their children and grandchildren. Hence, the choice of a school pennant as a logo for the company that bears my grandfather's name.