Torleif Almar Tandstad

Torleif Almar Tandstad of Fort Collins, Colorado passed away on January 27, 2025 at the age of 88. He was born October 19, 1936 in Sykkylven, Norway to Ola P. Tandstad and Berta Midtbust Tandstad.

Torleif had fond childhood memories of hiking and skiing in the mountains and speed skating on the fjords of Norway. After high school he joined the Norwegian Air Force and studied aeronautical mechanics in Kjevik to maintain and repair airplanes. After graduation in July 1956, he was stationed at Vaernes Air Station as chief for the Fairchild PT-19 Cornell Trainers. In 1957 he was trained as an instrument specialist and stationed to Orland Air Station; he worked on the Republic F-84 thunder jets and North American F-86 fighter jets. Torleif wanted to work in the private sector of aeronautics, so he went to Hamble, England in 1959 for training. When that school moved to Scotland, Torleif applied to Northrop University in Los Angles, California. There he completed his degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1963. His first job was with Garrett AiResearch at Los Angeles International Airport and then for Ted Smith Aircraft on the Aerostar. A year later he went to work for Lockheed Martin on the Tri Star L-1011 and remained there for four years.

In 1972, Torleif met Larry Hartford through House of Hartford Gallery in Beverly Hills, California; Torleif had Larry examine three paintings to confirm they were nineteenth century works by a listed Dutch artist. Larry became a good friend and asked Torleif to work for him in the gallery doing research on works of art. A friend Barbara Roberts, who was a representative for Christie's Auction House, joined them. The three partners purchased a prestigious business, Antiques and Art Appraisal Company in Los Angeles, California. Sadly, Barbara passed away in 1975 and left Torleif and Larry as joint business partners.

While working in this profession Torleif met and worked for many notable people, famous actors and singers, and companies like Paramount Studios and The May Company. He helped appraise the collection for the Wilber D. May Museum in Reno, Nevada. A few of the entertainers Torleif worked for and became dear friends with included Avis Scott, Irene Dunne, Ann Miller, Janet Leigh, Rhonda Fleming, Kirk Douglas and Gene Kelly. Actors James Aurness and Peter Graves were Torleif's distant cousins.

In 1994, a major earthquake hit the San Fernando Valley. Due to the catastrophic damage to the business and home in Studio City, Larry and Torleif decided a move was in order. Gene Kelly and his wife, Patricia Ward, suggested Fort Collins, Colorado where her parents lived. Torleif and Larry purchased a home there together in 1996. Torleif told it as, "we headed north in a blizzard driving a rented van filled with antiques, paintings, four cats, and two birds and towing a car." After settling in and getting acquainted, there were grand Christmas parties at their home with all the neighbors and friends invited. Torleif and Larry changed the name of their business to Lator Galleries and sold art works through Vivian's Lamp Shop in downtown Fort Collins.

They retired the business in 2008 to be able to travel. They wanted to leave their antiques and old masters paintings collection to a foundation or museum that would keep the collection intact; it needed to be open to the public and used for education to the arts. They were introduced to Colorado State University President Dr. Tony Frank and Museum Director and Chief Curator Linny Frickman. A contract was made and the campaign began for the art museum. Unfortunately, Larry passed before the museum was constructed.

In 2016, the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art opened at the University Center for the Arts with big fanfare and with the world-class European Hartford-Tandstad collection. Torleif was thrilled to have relatives from Norway and a Norwegian news reporter attend along with friends and neighbors from Fort Collins and Arizona. Later the art library, which included Torleif's lifetime collection of research books and catalogs, was opened and named Tandstad Bibliotek.

In their lifetimes Larry and Torleif extensively traveled throughout the United States and abroad. Larry passed away in 2013, and Torleif was left to travel alone, completing 52 countries and close to every state. Torleif especially enjoyed seeing the Native American arts in South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. Torleif would come back to Colorado wearing an assortment of beautifully handcrafted rings, bolo ties and belt buckles.

Torleif was preceded in death by his parents and his two older sisters, Oddlaug and Haldis. Memorials can be made to the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art at Colorado State University Foundation, P.O. Box 1870, Fort Collins, Colorado 80522.