Four generations.
A family name, carried forward.

First generation

Marvin Tolbert

June 26, 1898 – February 24, 1982

My great-grandfather Marvin was born in Georgia and later moved to the Wilson area of southern Oklahoma. He and his wife, Jessie Teafatiller, raised seven children, five boys and two girls.

After having to close his farm in the late 1930s, Marvin turned to carpentry. He took a correspondence course to learn how to cut angles, then began building houses throughout southern Oklahoma as a contract carpenter. He traveled to Arkansas to order his lumber, which was delivered directly to his job sites back in Oklahoma.

By our family’s estimate, Marvin built around 70% of the homes in Wilson during the 1940s and 1950s. His work is where our family’s woodworking story begins.

Second generation

Verle Tolbert

March 14, 1929 – February 23, 2001

My grandfather Verle married my grandmother, Della Strawn, and together they raised two sons. I never had the chance to meet him. He passed away while my mother was pregnant with me, so I’ve come to know him through the stories my family shares.

Verle earned his living working for Westheimer-Neustadt in oil development in Carter County. He also took on carpentry work for extra income, helping his father, Marvin, build houses and later working alongside his son, my dad, Terry.

His family remembers him as a talented carpenter and skilled craftsman. His sister describes him as easy to get along with, but quick to lose his temper. He sometimes butted heads with Marvin and Terry on a job, but woodworking was something all three shared.

Third generation

Terry Tolbert

Born December 26, 1961

My dad, Terry, discovered his love for woodworking in a high school shop class. After graduation, he opened a custom cabinet shop in downtown Ardmore in the 1980s. The shop was in Ardmore for one year before moving to Wilson. He ran it for about four years altogether, then continued woodworking in his spare time.

After feeling God’s call to full-time ministry, Dad served as a youth pastor and pastor at several churches across southern Oklahoma before becoming pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Ardmore in May 1995. He continues to faithfully serve there today, just a block down the street from where he once ran his cabinet shop.

He married my mom, Lisa Miller, in 1985. Together they raised four sons and now have two grandsons.

Woodworking has remained part of Dad’s life throughout his years in ministry. He continues to build projects for the church and his home, and over the years, he has also helped me with projects at Tolbert Woodworking.

Fourth generation & owner

Caleb Tolbert

Born October 26, 2001

I studied cabinetmaking at Southern Tech in Ardmore from 2018 to 2021 under my instructor, Robby Adams. While attending school, I worked half days at Criner Hills Woodworkers in Overbrook, Oklahoma, learning from Shannon Claxton before heading to class in the afternoons.

During my time working for Shannon, I began taking on side jobs of my own. Those projects eventually led me to start Tolbert Woodworking full time on October 1, 2022. I grew to love the work, and getting to build cabinets for a living is a blessing. Most days, it doesn’t even feel like work.

About a year into running the business, I met Kileigh Pereira. We married on April 5, 2024, with my dad officiating, and welcomed our son, Owen, on June 17, 2025.

Kileigh is from Fort Worth, and her family ties brought our family and Tolbert Woodworking to the DFW area. Today, we focus on custom cabinetry for new homes and whole-home remodels throughout DFW, North Texas, and southern Oklahoma. We’re proud of our Oklahoma roots and continue to serve the communities where we got our start.

Carrying on a trade that has been part of my family for four generations means a lot to me. I’m proud to put the Tolbert name on the work I do.