Tonja Lee Cawley

Tonie left us on December 11th to join many loved ones in heaven. She was born in the small town of Monclova, Ohio at home on the farm on the couch. Her father commented that she just couldnt wait to get here and make her presence known.

Tonie was the 4th of seven children born to Ray and Dorothy Elliott. Tonie was a force in this world from day one and continued to be for the next 76 years, a beautiful force that was a true sight to see, a force that has touched each and every one of us.

Tonie lived a full, adventurous life growing up on the farm and playing the snare drum in the school marching band. She worked in food service/ catering for many years. And when it came time to feeding people, very few could ever do it like she did. Cooking and feeding people was an act of love to her and she always shared her food just like her love.

Tonie was a stunt woman at an old west town (Apache Land) in Apache, Arizona. Her stunt name was "Ginger" and she would dress up in her cowboy gear, strap on her six shooters and go act out a gunfight. Even in that scenario it was about her protecting her family. When not being a stunt woman, she was the matron of the saloon.

Tonie drove an 18-wheeler cross-country for 14 years with her beloved husband and best friend Bear. (Jim Cawley) She loved driving truck for many reasons; spending the time with her husband, getting the opportunity to really know each other, taking the grandchildren with them in the summertime, but mostly she loved the ability to see and visit her family that lived all over this country.

Tonie had a special adopted family in Texas that she would go see a couple times a year. She always looked forward to spending time with them. Tonie was very much a part of their family and felt very loved by them and truly at home there and they loved and spoiled her rotten.

Tonie was the president of the Cherry Avenue Seniors for several years. She really loved her senior family and cherished all the laughs, love and friendships that came with it throughout the years. Gamedays, bunco, potlucks, field trips were never dull when Tonie was around. When she was in, she went all in and you never knew what she was going to do, just a guarantee it would put a smile on your face and make you laugh.

Tonie was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, step mother and friend, but her favorite was being a grandmother. She was a wife for 20 plus years to Bear - the love of her life, a mother to Bugzy (Denise) and Brian, stepmother to Donna and Sean and grandmother known as Nan/Nanny to Kyle, Keith, Kenny, Tony and Jeanette.

Truth be told, Tonie was all of these things to all of us and countless others. She loved her family and everyone was family. The only strangers or non family were ones that she hadn't met yet.

Tonie had a beautiful smile that was contagious and a wicked, & twisted sense of humor, and was very quick witted. You never knew what she was going to say or do, but guaranteed to surprise and make you laugh out loud.

We will all miss that big smile, the sparkle in her eyes and the sound of her laughter. We love you Tonie, Momma, Nan, and shall miss you greatly for eternity. We lost our angel here on Earth but now we have a guardian angel in heaven. We feel comforted that she will continue to watch over us all and when needed, her spirit energy will find a way to help guide us with whatever it is we're dealing with.

Keep playing the music, keep the dice warm for Bunco and the tiles shuffled for Spinner, the cards ready for SkipBo. Come one day there's going to be one heck of a game day in heaven with Tonie at the helm.

There will be a Celebration of Life in Tonie's memory on Saturday, January 18th at 2:00PM located at 5085 South Cherry Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85706.