Toni Wadlington-Delgado

With heavy hearts, we are sad to announce that our beloved mother, Toni Lee Wadlington Delgado, passed peacefully in her home on March 10, 2025 in Novato, California.

Toni Lee Wadlington, the daughter of Thomas Oscar Wadlington jr. and Alice Gertrude Trimble, was born in Englewoord, NJ on May 9,1945. Toni was raised in Hackensack, NJ and Tuxedo Park, NY with her brother Thomas Trimble Wadlington before attending Dunottar School (a private secondary boarding school) in Reigate, Surrey, England. After high school, she lived at The Olcott, located on the Upper West side, NYC and moved to Marin County, California in the mid 70’s.

Toni was a beautiful, bright, courageous, wise, loving soul. A real “Avant-garde woman” who traveled the world, learned a new culture and courageously lived her life following her truth. She believed and stood for equality for women and marched for womens rights, paving the path for generations to come. Humanitarian issues were very close to her heart.

In her early years, Toni attended the prestigious National Academy of Fine Art in Manhattan as an Art student. During those years, she met and married Carlos Enrique Delgado (at St. Bartholomew’s church on 5th Ave) and they had three beautiful children-Carlos Enrique Delgado jr, Jennifer Whitney Delgado and Jon Miguel Delgado (She is survived by all three). All three children have continued in the Artistic fields, which brought Toni great joy.

In the early years of her marriage, the Delgados moved from NYC and lived in Madrid, Spain and Mexico City, Mexico. It was during her years in Madrid and Mexico City that Toni developed a deep connection with Latin culture. With this great love and her savvy business sense, she spent over 25 years primarily working in Spanish radio and television as an Account Executive. She was one of only a few women working in the Latin industry at that time, trailblazing new paths. Her contribution to the field of Radio and Television was a source of great pride and fulfillment for her.

In 2002, her life changed into her new role as “Yaya”, when her grandson Gabriel John Delgado was born to her son Carlos and daughter in law-Kelly Sappington Delgado. Again in 2006, she was blessed with the birth of her granddaughter, Sara Aiden Delgado. “Yaya” became her new name, as she was lovingly known to her family and community in Marin. In these years, she found great fulfillment as a dedicated mother and grandmother, whose love for her family was undeniable. She loved her family with all her heart and lived to see her children and grandchildren happy.

Toni was a wise counsel to her friends and family, always available for long talks about life, as well as a great support to those in pursuit of their dreams. Her heart was as big as the ocean and she was a loving, supportive mother, grandmother and friend. She is greatly loved by her family and by her dear friends worldwide.

Toni always considered herself a New Yorker and frequently told stories of her childhood memories in New York. She also loved Marbella, Spain, where her family loved to vacation in her childrens early years.

Toni was an extraordinary “one of a kind” woman who is irreplaceable. We love and miss her so much. She is forever in our hearts. Yaya! We will always love you to the moon and back!