By Glenn Rolfe

DAGSBORO — Floyd Toomey’s legacy will live on through an annual scholarship — offered by the family of the beloved community member who, for several decades, served in law enforcement and the military.

All i’s have been dotted, t’s crossed and documentation finalized for the Floyd J. Toomey Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by Anne Toomey in memory of her husband, who passed away March 14.

Starting this school year, a $500 scholarship will be awarded to an Indian River High School senior who has an interest in pursuing a criminal justice or military career.

Ms. Toomey, in consultation with IRHS Guidance Department chairperson Sonya Purcell, completed the requirements to set the scholarship in motion last week. Application information has been posted on the school’s Schoology website.

“As of right now, we have over $7,000,” said Ms. Toomey. “I am so thankful for the support I have received and still receive daily from the military, police, IRSD and all of our friends and family. Floyd was so well-loved. I am blown away by all of the love and support I have been shown!”

The scholarship amount may be increased and, in the future, might expand to a pair of funds, Ms. Toomey said. For now, it’s beginning as one $500 award.

“I plan for it to be yearly and possibly do a couple fundraisers down the road,” she said. “That is my intent, to keep it going as long as I can. That is what I’d like to do.”

The funding base includes a generous donation from the town of Dagsboro. At its monthly meeting April 19, Dagsboro’s mayor and Town Council formally approved, 4-0, a $1,000 donation in tribute to Mr. Toomey, who served as the town’s police chief for 13 years.

“I’m all for it,” said Dagsboro Councilwoman Theresa Ulrich.

Mr. Toomey passed away March 14 at age 64, several days after he suffered a stroke while working at his “retirement” job as a public safety constable at Phillip Showell Elementary School in Selbyville.

Mr. Toomey retired from municipal police work in August 2019, following a 13-year tenure as chief of the Dagsboro Police Department. He also served as Ellendale’s police chief from 1993-2007 and was a police officer for the Georgetown (1987-93), Capitol (1986-87) and Delmar (1979-81) municipal departments.

He also served active-duty military and many years in the U.S. Army National Guard, reaching the rank of sergeant. His National Guard duty included a year of deployment in Afghanistan in 2012-13, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star for heroism.

Memorial donations in support of the scholarship fund may be sent to Floyd J. Toomey Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, 125 W. Mill Pond Drive, Selbyville, DE 19975.

In addition to scholarships through Indian River High School, Ms. Toomey is hoping to extend an offering in her husband’s memory to Delaware’s Distinguished Young Woman program.

In 2010, Ms. Toomey’s daughter, Alyssa Murray, won that honor (then dubbed Delaware Junior Miss). Two years later, Ms. Murray reigned as Miss Delaware.

Ms. Murray volunteered at the Distinguished Young Woman pageant “in the years following, and Floyd and I also helped out,” said Ms. Toomey. “Floyd was even a judge for a couple years. He was judging the pageant and having a big old time.

“For the past probably five or six years, every year, Floyd and I did (a sponsorship) in Alyssa’s honor because, when she was at nationals, she won the interview award,” Ms. Toomey continued. “We sponsored the $200 interview award in honor of Alyssa every year, and I think it would be neat if I could think of an award for him. Of course, that one I could do on my own.”