Youth soccer in Utah mourns the loss of John Toomey, whose dedication and commitment to soccer reached far beyond the soccer fields. Toomey has been battling a very rare disease and died at home with his family around him on Sunday, May 6th, in Layton, Utah. He was 45.

John was well known for his teaching of life through the sport of soccer. John will be greatly missed by those who were fortunate to know him, but his teachings and passion for the game of soccer and life will live on forever. Please take time to reflect on what impact each of us have on the development of youth soccer in our own respective communities.

“Tonight we said goody-bye to a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, and friend. As John let go of his pain and suffering, he took a hold of Jesus’ hand to enter into God’s kingdom. He suffers no more. We will truly miss him. He was an inspiration to anyone that had the privilege to meet him. Alyssa, Erich, and I will be fine, as we learned a lot from him. We love you all and thank you for your support and prayers over the past three years,” in Christ’s love, Cara Toomey.

John’s funeral service is planned for Thursday, May 10, 2007 at 10:00 AM at Light of the Valley Lutheran Church, located at 1074 Fairfield Road, Layton, Utah 84040. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that any donations be made to:

The Huntsman Cancer Center
1950 E Circle of Hope
Salt lake City, Utah 84112

CNS/VNA Foundation (the Hospice that cared for John)
6949 High Tech Drive, Suite 200
Midvale, Utah 84047