In Loving Memory Toby John Matthew Hickman February 11, 1945 - December 30, 2013 Toby Hickman was many things: master artist-blacksmith, devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, fond brother, loyal friend to many, community volunteer, all-around mensch. Born and raised in Southern California, he moved to Sonoma County in the early 70's with his partner, Corisa, and their two young boys. He began blacksmithing there, founding Waylan Smithy in a chicken barn in Petaluma. After some lean years, his work began to be recognized by the blacksmith community and by architects and designers. His work with restaurant, hotel, and lighting designers is especially noteworthy, including major work in San Francisco's Boulevard and Farallon restaurants, the Palomar Hotel, the Hyatt Hotel in Phoenix, and many Cheesecake Factory restaurants. His work is also a part of many private homes and collections, and has been featured in several books and national publications. He served a number of terms on the boards of the California Blacksmith Association (CBA) and The Artist-Blacksmith Association of North America (ABANA). In 2012, at the biannual ABANA National Conference, Toby received the Alex Bealer Award for Lifetime Service to Blacksmithing. It was the proudest moment of his career, for he valued the esteem of his peers above all. After selling Waylan Smithy, he and his wife Ann Woodhead moved to Westport, California, in 2003. Toby's ten years on the Coast were busy and happy. In Cleone, near his home, he opened Lost Coast Forge, where he continued to explore and expand his craft, as well as fulfill a variety of commissions. He was active in the Westport community, serving nine years on the Westport County Water District Board of Directors and the Westport Volunteer Fire Department. He was a familiar sight on the Westport Headlands, where he walked his dogs almost every morning, adjourning to the Westport Community Store for what he called "Group" or "coffee with the geezers." (He was known to throw his coffee at cars that were speeding when they passed the store.) He was honored to dress up in a red suit to play Santa Claus each year for the young ones in Westport. Toby was loud, opinionated, and rough around the edges sometimes, but he was respected and loved for his intelligence, kindness, generosity, loyalty, honesty, and goodness of heart. He was a gentle bear of a man, with a huge sense of humor and a spirit to match. Toby would have been 70 years old on February 11, 2015. He passed away suddenly from a heart attack on December 30, 2013, in Fort Lauderdale Florida. He and his wife Ann were enjoying a low-key visit with their daughter, Lyza. Just prior to his death, he had seen a number of very special and important events come to pass. He had completed an important commission - the Olive Amphora table. He and Ann had taken a leisurely trip down from Mendocino County, spending several memorable evenings with close friends and enjoying two magical afternoons with family and all four grandchildren. He was an exceptionally happy man, full of gratitude and appreciation, and he had become particularly conscious of this in his last years living up on the Lost Coast. "Tobyisms" were and continue to be a source of entertainment and enlightenment for family and friends: "It is the karma of glass to break." (Substitute "ceramics" for glass, if the occasion suits.) "There's no crying in blacksmithing." "There's no substitute for power." "You could do all kinds of things to prolong your life. Quit drinking beer, coffee and scotch. Cut out the sugar, fat and salt. Avoid red meat. Starve yourself to lose a bunch of weight. Or, life might be such a bore it just feels like forever." "A man's gotta step up. What's the point of being alive if you don't have deep, messy, complicated relationships and people that count on you?" "A missed nap is gone forever." "The hallmark of middle aged love is gratitude." We miss you, Toby. Toby's wife, Ann; sons, Brendan and Ruben; daughter, Lyza; stepson, Dan; grandchildren, Hirshl, Judah, Xlya, and Ian; brother, Tim; his blacksmithing pals; and many old and new friends