My favorite thing in the world was making her laugh. Then her laugh would make me laugh and then we'd be crying because of it. She also loved Christmas. She'd start shopping in June to make sure she had enough time and money to buy everyone a present. She had an innocence about her. A pure heart. She didn't meet a stranger. Everyone was family to her. She was a child of God. She still believed in Santa and that the Cowboys would eventually go to the Superbowl again. I'd tell her, I can maybe believe there's a santa, but the cowboys??? No way! The smallest things always meant the most to Momma. A call. An I love you. Simple things made her the happiest. She loved making butterscotch wreaths at Christmas time. I remember watching her take such care and having so much patience putting each piece of candy one by one until it was full and extravagant, but if you knew my mom, patience was not a virtue she had and I'm pretty sure all the patience she did have was used on those dang wreaths. She was a good woman, a good wife, but above all she was a caring and loving mom. She was my mom. And I'm thankful everyday that God blessed me to be able to call her mom. She was the best thing that ever been mine. 

My Mom was my biggest supporter, my fiercest defender, and loved me with everything she was. I was her Ace for 34 years. I'll always be her Ace. She was overprotective and did all she could to keep me safe and happy. When I was little I would follow her around literally everywhere and my grandfather used to call me a puppy because of it. Mom, Dad and I used to go to church every Sunday and then it was always to Panchos or Western Choice for lunch and Hastings so Dad and I could pick out a book. We did that every Sunday for years. Mom never missed a soccer game of mine. Always there. Always cheering me on. Even when we lost our little league championship game Mom said we would have won had they not put 14 yr olds against 8 year olds. She always knew what to say to make me feel better. She loved Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers 3 on super Nintendo. She said she bought the console for me and my friends, but she'd play more than we did! And man she'd get to hollering whenever she couldn't clear a level. She'd wake the whole house, mad as all get out! Mom never let her disability slow her down when it came to taking care of my Dad and I. She made the best bell pepper, sausage and onion dinner on a bed of rice that to this day I can't for the life of me replicate. We loved watching WWE. Ever since Wrestlemania 13 and every Monday after. I remember countless times running and jumping on her bed to watch Monday Night Raw and pretending to already be asleep so she'd tell Daddy I could sleep in their bed. She loved Scooby Doo and The Color Purple. Her favorite movies were Ghost with Patrick Swayze, Losing Isaiah, and The Color Purple. She loved animals and she loved to laugh. Her laugh was contagious. If you heard her laugh, you'd burst out laughing too! And don't let her and her twin sister Toni get to laughing together, you'd think the house was shaking! She loved with her whole heart. Her favorite words were I love you.

My Heart is broken being a Twin for so many years I never thought I would see this day come. Tonya I can remember when we were kids would hug each other in our closet. We would alway's be there for each other. I know you are in a better place. Love you always your Twin. I want my Pennie's from Heaven. 

OBITUARY

Tonya Handorf

May 3, 1964 – August 19, 2021

Tyler Memorial Funeral Home - Cemetery and Mausoleum

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