Carol “Dee” Tolson

February 16, 1945 – May 13, 2026

Carol “Dee” Tolson, 81, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away peacefully on May 13, 2026 in her home. Born in New York City on February 16, 1945, she grew up in Closter, New Jersey, and graduated from Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest in 1962. She went on to attend Green Mountain Junior College in Poultney, Vermont, before making her way west to Arizona — the state that would become her home for most of her life.

Dee was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. In 1970, she became the first female Deputy Sheriff with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, graduating from the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Institute and later earning certification as a Police Instructor. She was also the first female dispatcher for the Glendale Arizona Fire Department, the first Investigator for the Desert Diamond Casino, and the first Concierge when the Desert Diamond Hotel opened its doors. As she once said, “falling into being a first makes you stand alone and fight for yourself” — and fight she did.

Believing deeply in sharing what she had learned, Dee founded her own company, Safety Awareness for Everyone, traveling as a public speaker to teach women about self-protection. She also owned The Cortaro Retail Store and, over the years, took on countless other roles — from security investigator to retail associate — that reflected her work ethic and her refusal to ever be defeated.

In 1963, Dee married her high school sweetheart, Johnny Underwood. Though life would take them in different directions through later marriages, the two remained dear friends for the rest of her life — a bond she always cherished. A young breast cancer survivor, Dee carried strength and humor through every hard chapter, and there were many. She was stubborn and independent, with a heart full of compassion, and she was proud to call herself “one of the best friends anyone could have.”

During her life Dee loved to gamble, to laugh, to dance, and to fill her home with friends during the holidays. She also loved to help those in need and would be found delivering little care packages to the homeless, even when she struggled financially, she said she was grateful to be able to still find a way to help others – a water, a granola bar and a fresh pair of socks. She had a tender heart for animals and shared her life with many beloved dogs and cats. In her later years, she struggled with emphysema and dementia, so she preferred staying at home and enjoyed kicking back with her favorite police & detective shows on TV, going out to smoke and birdwatch in her yard and fixing her afternoon toddy. Her spirit shone brightly, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Dee is survived by her best friend in the world and older sister Gail Tolson Crothers of Hackettstown NJ, her loving niece Laura Crothers (Osborn) of Randolph, NJ, her handy nephew Keith Crothers of Fredon, NJ and 6 great nieces and nephews (Stephen Osborn, Patrick Osborn, Kasey Crothers, Shane Crothers, Miranda Gataveskas and Chloe Crothers). She is also survived by her dear friends Phyliss MacGrane, Mark Rowley, and her favorite Visiting Angel, Valri Short.

She is predeceased by her parents Alfred and Dorothea Tolson and her sister Judith Tolson all of Florida, along with many other close friends and a few ex-husbands and their families whose lives she touched.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Young Survival Coalition, an organization focusing on women ages 40 and under who are diagnosed with breast cancer, or an Animal Rescue or Homeless Shelter of your choice.

“It has been an amazing life — a most interesting ride on the roller-coaster called Life.” — Dee