Teashia Renee Shantelle Manuel

A Beautiful Smile, a Stubborn Spirit, and a Legacy Wrapped in Purple

September 15, 1986 | November 7, 2026

Some people enter this world quietly and spend their lives blending into the background. Then there are those whose very existence leaves an imprint that time cannot erase. Te’ashia Renee Shantelle Manuel was one of those people.

Known and loved as Te’ashia, TT, T, Sissy, Baby Girl, and Sweet Potato Pie, she was a daughter, sister, auntie, granddaughter, niece, great-niece, cousin, friend, and a woman whose strength often spoke louder than her words.

Te’ashia wasn’t one for a lot of fuss. Give her a comfortable T-shirt, a good book, some video games, a good movie, and a little peace, and she was perfectly content. Purple wasn’t just her favorite color; it was practically her signature. She had a special appreciation for Wednesday Addams, a wonderfully funny sense of humor, and a stubborn streak that would have made her Nana Linda Jean proud. That stubborn streak may have rubbed off on her little sister, Nya. And if you knew her well, you probably heard her personal anthem, “Virgos, where you at?” more times than you could count.

She didn’t need to be the loudest person in the room to make her presence known. Her smile could do that all by itself. Te’ashia loved Jesus and enjoyed teaching Sunday school at New Birth Outreach Church whenever her health allowed. Pastor Carlos and Lady Monica held a special place in her heart, and the love and encouragement they shared meant so much to her. Her faith was part of her journey, not because life was always easy, but because she continued to find reasons to believe, love, and keep going. And we cannot forget her pastry chef skills, especially that braided bread!

Now, Te’ashia was also a collector of things: T-shirts, blankets, coins, more than 300 pairs of socks, four kidneys, and two pancreases. And while she may have been laid-back, she could wear you completely out with questions. If curiosity were an Olympic sport, she would have needed another shelf for all her medals.

She loved her family deeply, treasured her relationships, and absolutely adored her nieces and nephews. Whether she was being called Sissy, TT, or one of her many other names, each represented a special place she held in someone’s heart.

Te’ashia had a way of reminding us that being strong doesn’t always look like standing tall with your shoulders back. Sometimes strength looks like getting out of bed when your body has other plans. Sometimes it’s finding a reason to laugh in the middle of a difficult day. And sometimes it’s allowing the people who love you to stand beside you when the road gets hard.

She was her mother’s firstborn, her baby, and her shero. Their journey together was filled with uncertainty, remarkable victories, stubborn determination, and a love that refused to let go. There were milestones worth celebrating, miracles worth shouting about, and ordinary days that became extraordinary because they got to share them.

Te’ashia taught her family lessons that no classroom could offer. She showed them that courage and fear can occupy the same space, that strength doesn’t mean never needing help, and that every day we are given with someone we love is worth cherishing. Her story was never one of suffering alone. It was a story of resilience, family, faith, laughter, and a life that mattered.

On November 7, 2026, at the age of 40, Te’ashia’s earthly journey came to an end. At last, the pain that had accompanied so much of her life was over. For those who love her, there is gratitude in knowing she no longer suffers and a grief that words cannot fully hold. Because how do you prepare for a world without someone who has been part of your world for so long? You don’t. You learn, one day at a time, to carry their love differently.

Te’ashia was preceded in death by her beloved grandparents, Grant and Linda Sams Charlton, and Jesse Verna Manuel; her great-aunts, Brenda Cramer and Tammy Parras (Roberts); her uncle, Brian Manuel; and her beloved cousins, Christopher Shoemaker and Dashawn Manuel. We can only imagine the beautiful reunion.

Te’ashia leaves behind a beautiful, perfectly imperfect family and a circle of friends who will forever cherish the privilege of loving her, walking beside her, advocating for her, celebrating her victories, and calling her their own. Her loving parents, Marcelto (“Pop”) and Tyila Cooks, and Verna Manuel and Brandi (“MomToo”), will forever hold her close in their hearts. Her godparents, Curtis and Renee Anderson, and godsisters, Desiree Anderson and Mariah Anderson, added joy, love, and laughter to her life. She is also lovingly remembered by James Story and her beloved extended Story family, including her aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She is survived by her grandmothers, Ms. Jerleen Manuel and Mrs. Judy (John) Stanford; her siblings, Sherieka Whitney, James Manuel, Jessie Manuel, April Turner, Nya (Eric) Cooks Luke, MJ Cooks, Shiloh Cooks, and Josiah Cooks; her uncles, John (Valerie) Hurd, Walter (Jennifer) Manuel, Al Cooks, and Bobby Cooks; and her aunties, Emily Chambers, Lachrisha Lewis, Jessica James, Jennette Hampton, and Annette Woods. Her great-aunts include Pam (Jim) Auler, Barbara Roberts, Barbara Bell, Phyllis Hensley, and Linda Roberts.

Her nieces and nephews were the apple of her eye: Aziza Manuel, Jessie Turner, Justus Manuel, Harmony Jackson, Journi Manuel, Jermony Manuel, JiAnni Manuel, Liam, Brooklyn, Quiyana Whitney, Kierra Whitney, and Kiandre Whitney.

Her circle of love extended well beyond family ties. Her honorary uncles, Carl (Prima) Foster, Vernon (Dondra) Williams, and Nigel (Ann) Smith, and honorary aunties, Robin Brown, Jackie Fielder, Vanessa Ray, Enid Johnson, Nita Hughes, Jennifer Wimberly, Tina Vincent, Sheryl Rogers, and Jeanine Boston, held special places in her life.

She leaves behind her beloved cousins, Jacob Williams, Nathaniel Williams, Jordan Hurd, Adam Hurd, and Nicolas Hurd; her godcousin, Sherronda Sloan; and many other cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and dear friends.

She was also surrounded by her Pop Austin family: Aisha Thorton, Denise Franklin, Coach Fisher, her sister-friends Joyce Portis and Clydele Barden, and all the framily and staff there.

With heartfelt gratitude, the family honors Toby Lent, the donor of Te’ashia’s second kidney, and his family, including Cameron Daniels. Their extraordinary gift gave Te’ashia more precious time with those she loved, including the joy of celebrating her 40th birthday. We will always be grateful for that gift of life and the memories made possible because of it. If there is one thing Te’ashia’s life reminds us, it is that a person’s legacy is not measured by how easy their journey was, but by the love they gave, the lives they touched, and the memories they leave behind.

And while we will miss her presence more than words can express, we refuse to let the hardest chapters of her life become the whole story.

We will remember her humor, her stubbornness, her questions, her killer smile, and that impressive collection of socks.

The Celebration of Life will be held on November 12, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at 3604 Macon Rd., Suite 12. The repass will follow.

Feel free to join us in wearing purple, or simply come as you are.

We will tell her stories. We will laugh when we remember something she did, and we will cry when the missing feels especially heavy. And through it all, we will thank God for the gift of Te’ashia.

Our girl. Our warrior. Our shero. Forever loved.