Glen Cove Vietnam War veteran dies from Covid-19 complications 

Joseph Tolbert Jr., 70, a Vietnam Marine Corps veteran from Glen Cove, loved his family, the Calvary AME Church and his community. On April 3, he died from complications related to Covid-19.

“The thing you will hear over and over again is that he is one of the kindest people that you will ever meet,” said Glen Cove Councilman Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, who met Tolbert five years ago at Calvary AME Church. “He was a man of service, not only having served his country but he was so very devoted to his church and his community.” 

Tolbert was chaplain for the American Legion Young-Simmons Post 1765, the treasurer of the Alumni for Youth, vice chair of the Steward Board at the Calvary AME Church, a grandfather of 4-year-old Joshua, a father of two and a husband of almost 47 years. 

Tolbert’s wife, Dolores, said that the veteran and retired employee of the Syosset Post Office always stayed active and was busy. “He was involved in a lot of things,” she said. 

In two months, the Tolberts would have celebrated their 47th anniversary.

Dolores Jackson grew up in Locust Valley where Joseph used to sometimes stay with his grandmother. But he was born and spent most of his childhood in Washington D.C.

Joseph and Dolores met through a friend. Though they met a long time ago, Dolores said she can still remember that it was Joseph’s personality that drew her to him. “I took a liking to him right away,” she said. 

The couple dated for two years before they married in 1973. They moved to Glen Cove and had two children — Joseph W. Tolbert III and Tahisha Nicole Tolbert, who is now a doctor, a career choice that made her father proud.  

“He and his family are long time Glen Covers,” said Glen Cove Mayor Timothy Tenke. In fact, Tolbert’s brother, Lawrence Giles, is a retired Detective at the Glen Cove Police Department who graduated from Glen Cove High School in 1953. “We are truly saddened [Tolbert’s] passing. He was always helping with parades and any memorial service we had with the veterans. He was very involved with all of that and he will be seriously missed.” 

Stevenson-Mathews, who sang in the Calvary AME choir, would see Tolbert once a week. He called him “kind, solid and true.” 

“You could always count on him to be there early and to stay late,” Stevenson-Mathews said. “Just an incredible person. I loved him and so many people did.” 

Dave Hubbard, the commander of American Legion Young-Simmons Post 1765, said that of all the 40 years that he knew Tolbert, he was always involved with the church and was liked by everyone. He drove the church bus and volunteered to cook and clean.

Hubbard added that Tolbert was also involved with Long Island Teen Challenge, which promotes drug-free environments for youth, the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, where he founded Alumni For Youth and he also promoted scholarships for Glen Cove High School Students. “He was involved with everything,” Hubbard said. 

“He was just a terrific fella,” said Stevenson-Mathews. “There is going to be a great void in this city.” 

When Stevenson-Mathews heard that Joseph Tolbert died, he said he felt anger towards the virus. “I just felt like I wanted to punch this virus as hard as I could until it just went away,” he said. “I was angry that this disease robbed us of this magnificent person.” 

He said that one characteristic of Tolbert’s that he can’t walk away from was his desire to always step up and help when needed. But, Stevenson-Mathews added, he will always remember Tolbert’s great sense of humor too. 

“We would give each other a hard time about silly things,” said Tony Jimenez, the director of Veterans Affairs at the City of Glen Cove.

The American Legion would often go to the Northport VA to watch pony race movies with resident veterans, said Jimenez. “It was a fun event that brought him out there and a matter of fact one time we were short-handed and thinking of canceling and he said ‘No, we have to go,’ and so we did and he had his usual good time,” Jimenez said. “I actually drove with him there and we passed a candy store and he looked at it and mentioned it. And from that moment on I gave him a hard time, about how he wanted to come out just to go to the candy store.” 

Jimenez said that Tolbert was a man’s man and a soft-spoken, slow-talking gentleman. “If he wasn’t talking about his family, he was talking about God, or he was talking about being a veteran,” said Jimenez. “These were the three loves of his life.” 

Whenever Tolbert said goodbye, he’d always say “‘I’m praying for ya,” Jimenez recalled. 

There will be a private viewing for the immediate family and at a later date, a memorial service for extended family and friends.