Editor’s note: “Where Are They Now” is a Muscatine Journal series written by former Muscatine Journal editor Gil Dietz, who welcomes comments and suggestions. You can contact him at 563-263-5499 or  gvdietz@machlink.

TUBAC, Ariz. — Former Muscatine resident Sandra (Swengel) Toye, and her husband, Richard Toye, have seen much of the world through their careers and retirement travels. They have also given significant donations of art to the Muscatine Art Center.

Sandra is the daughter of Franklin and June Swengel, both now deceased. Her father was with Stanley Consultants. He was a specialist in all aspects of power production, including nuclear. Her parents were both world-class skeet shooters, holding a number of state and national records during their lifetime.

Sandra graduated from Muscatine High School as the class salutatorian in 1954.  She graduated from the State University of Iowa in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. She received her master’s degree in Latin American studies from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. in 1965.

She taught high school social studies and English for several years. “After graduate school, I entered federal government service. Initially I worked in foreign affairs for the U.S. Information Agency, for the Peace Corps and for a special commission overseeing a plebiscite in Puerto Rico.

“In 1973 I moved to the National Science Foundation, and remained with that agency until I retired in 1991. I held many jobs in the Division of Ocean Sciences. Eventually I became the agency’s Comp-troller and head of its policy office and was awarded the rank of Distinguished Executive. It was wonderful career, offering world travel and challenging assignments.”

In July 1959, she married to Richard G. Toye of Glen Ellyn, Ill., upon his graduation from West Point.

“Dick … had a distinguished and fascinating Air Force career, retiring in 1986 as a Colonel. His assignments included tours in Spain, Germany, Korea, and Geneva, Switzerland,” she said.

Col. Toye’s assignments were in electronics, intelligence and ballistic missiles. His last field assignment was a director of operations for the Minuteman Missile Wing at Grand Forks, N.D.

According to Sandra, her husband’s primary staff specialty was that of “diplomat in uniform”. He was involved in base rights negotiations throughout Latin America, Europe, and North Africa. In his final staff assignment, he was in charge of the military advisers to all of the nuclear arms reduction negotiations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in Geneva.

“After his military career, he became the vice president of a consulting firm and was appointed by President Reagan as the Director of Policy of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency,” she stated.

Sandra, 73, has four younger sisters, all of whom attended Muscatine schools at various times. Andrea Stewart lives in Bodega Bay, Calif.; Michelle Ramsey in Palm Bay, Fla.; Lauretta Dean and LaVergne Beyer both in the Atlanta area.

Sandra and Richard Toye split their time between two homes: one in Tubac, Ariz., and one in Alexandria, Va., across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

“We have attended Spanish language schools in Cuernavaca and Oaxaca, Mexico, and will be teaching Spanish classes at our church in Arizona this winter.

Sandra and Richard Toye have given several valuable gifts to the Muscatine Art Center.

“During visits to my parents and sisters when they lived in Muscatine, both Dick and I became very impressed by the Art Center. We think its collection, facilities, administration, and programs are outstanding.

“Through our travels we have acquired some very good antiques and pieces of art. When we downsized from a former home in Colorado, we gave the Art Center a large, 17th century Italian oil painting which hangs in the Music Room of the Musser House, and a very large antique Persian Sarouk rug, which now decorates the entrance to the Musser House.

“In recent years we have developed a nice collection of 20th century American Regional art (think of the Works Project Administra-tion styles of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s), which could eventually fit nicely with other holdings of the museum,” she said.