Honoring the beautiful life of Tonya Gail Simmons Roberson.

Tonya Gail Simmons was born on September 15, 1963, Detroit, Mi., to loving parents Pastor
Thomas E. Simmons Jr. and Gloria Wright Simmons.

Early on the Simmons family valued and practiced Christian beliefs and education and
instilled these values into their children Tonya and Marcus.

Tonya the elder of the children, accepted Christ as her Savior, and was baptized at an early
age at the City Temple Church in Detroit Michigan.

Tonya spent her early childhood years in Detroit Michigan, and her summers in Jacksonville
Florida, where she was surrounded by her family and creating memories.

Tonya would often talk about her loving childhood and the joyous times she spent with her
Aunt Bridgett and family in Michigan, her Grandmother Bunnie in Florida, cousins, Honda,
Glori, Sonali, and Kamala.

After the birth of brother Marcus Kevin Simmons, the Simmons family settled in Dallas,
Texas. Her father Thomas Eugene Simmons served as Elder at the Dallas City Temple
Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Tonya completed her secondary education at Dallas, Skyline Arts Magnet School where
she enrolled in the aviation and aeronautics program.

It was during this time that she befriended and met her first group of lifelong friends
Kenson, Walter, Levenis, Michael and Sonya, friendships that continued through her life.
Tonya pursued higher education at Oakwood University, a private historically Black
Seventh-day Adventist university in Huntsville, Alabama. While at Oakwood, Tonya studied
Nursing and Psychology.

Oakwood University is the only HBCU owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist
Church. It was at Oakwood University where Tonya began to blossom and met new lifelong
friends, Joya, Valerie, Anne-Marie, Pam and Judy, friendships that continued through her
life.

After Oakwood, Tonya returned to Dallas and created more lifelong friendships with Stacie
Glover and Crystal Roberson, friendships that continued through her life.

In 1992 Crystal introduced Tonya to Byron Roberson, and from this casual meeting a seed
was planted, and a friendship was born. Tonya and Byron shared common interests,
became close friends, and found love

On October 13, 2001, surrounded by family and friends Byron and Tonya were united in holy
matrimony, at the Munger Avenue Baptist Church in Dallas, Tx.

Mr. and Mrs. Roberson settled in Carrollton TX to begin their new life together. Tonya, who
was known for her quick wits and intelligence, enabled her to excel as Database
administrator for an international financial company in Addison Tx.

Though we did not have children, Tonya became a loving and supportive mother,
grandmother, sister, and aunt to the children of the Roberson, Smith, Thompson, Gilstrap,
and Thierry families.

She was a primary caretaker for her mother, counselor to friends and family, enrolled
children in sporting and social activities, tutoring and helping with homework, organizing
trips to visit colleges, organizing baby shows, organizing birthday parties, and the list
continues.

There is nothing that Tonya would not do to help those she loved and cared about, her true
gift in life was in giving and helping others to have a better life.

Her compassion for others and her many acts of kindness will be remembered; she was
loved by many and will be missed by everyone that she loved. She was a role model for
caring and giving.

Tonya was preceded in death by her father Elder Thomas E Simmons Jr, and brother Marcus
Kevin Simmons.

Tonya leaves to cherish her loving husband of 24 years Byron Roberson, loving Mother
Gloria Wright Simmons;Loving brothers-in-law Kevin Roberson and Brandon Smith, Loving sisters-in-law Crystal
Roberson, Ashley Frazier, Tonya Y. Simmons;Goddaughter \ Grandmother Ashley Gilstrap, Levi logan, Adoring nieces Lauren Simmons,
Adelaide Smith, Ashton Bailey ;Adoring nephews Kevin Roberson Jr, Christian Roberson, Brandon Smith Jr, Xavier Thierry
Beloved cousins in Detroit and Florida, lifelong friendships lasting 40 plus years.

From: Mom (Gloria Wright Simmons)

To: Tonya
"Save me a seat at the table"