Obituary: Audrey K. Tostevin

Audrey K. Tostevin 10/09/1927 — 12/27/2022

Born Helen Audrey Kirchman on October 9, 1927, the only child of Harry Kirchman and Bernice Karl Kirchman. Audrey lived in Bethlehem, PA and is a graduate of Liberty High School and Moravian College. At an early age, Audrey became passionate about theatre. She also had quite a sense of adventure and took flying lessons at Allentown Bethlehem Easton Airport and solo-ed in 1944 when she was only 17 years old. Not having a drivers’ license yet, she rode her bike to the airport.

Audrey met her husband, Edgar Ronald Tostevin Jr. (Ron) at the PA Playhouse, where she expanded her love for theatre and fell in love. They married in 1958 and had three kids: Edgar Ronald Tostevin III (Ron, of Wharton, NJ), Laura Ann Tostevin (now Laura T. Sacchi, of Big Sky, MT) and Cynthia Jean Tostevin (now Cynthia T. Sarver, of Ligonier, PA).

Audrey had five grandchildren: Helena Sacchi and Benjamin Saad; James Sarver, Tyler Sarver and Douglas Sarver.

After marrying Ron, they lived in Applebachsville, PA before moving to Easton, PA, then to Ligonier, PA in 1971, where Audrey lived until last year when she moved to the Springs in Bozeman, MT.

After 50 years of marriage, Audrey’s husband, Ron, died in 2008, after fighting Multiple Myeloma for seven years. Later that year, Audrey adopted Romeo, a shepherd/lab mix, and he became the next love of her life.

From high school until just a few years ago, Audrey was very active in the theatre, both acting and directing. She also started Lollipop Productions, a puppet theatre, for which she not only handled the puppets during the shows, but also made the puppets and wrote the shows. She toured schools, birthday parties and arts festivals.

Audrey and Ron performed in many stage productions together and they also enjoyed travelling. Over the years they took several small boat cruises and also went on safari to Africa, travelled to South America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Canada and their beloved Sanibel Island, Florida. They also bought a small beach cottage in 1963 in Silver Beach, NJ, where the family enjoyed many summer vacations.

Audrey was very active in the Episcopal Church, specifically St. Michaels of the Valley Episcopal Church, Rector, PA where her remains will be interred next to her husband on June 3, 2023.

A memorial service will be held at the Big Sky Chapel on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 2:00pm. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Audrey K. Tostevin Memorial Theatre Scholarship Fund, which will grant scholarships to high school seniors who are passionate about theatre.

Checks should be made payable to FOBSE and mailed to Laura Sacchi, PO Box 161376, Big Sky, MT 59716. Gifts are tax deductible and tax receipts will come from FOBSE, a 501(c)(3). To learn more about FOBSE visit https://www.friendsofbigskyeducation.org/.