Tonya Marie Holcombe Kelley

I am so sorry to learn of Tonya’s passing. She trained me at my first job as a paralegal many years ago and I have never forgotten her patience and many kindnesses during that time. She was a hard worker and very skilled at her job and I know she will be missed and mourned by many. May her memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved her.

I have finally decided to say something here, so there could be something in perpetuity to try in way too few words to try to articulate what Tonya meant to me, although it is very difficult to put into words anything that would be sufficient. I am very appreciative of all the love that has been shared since Tonya’s sudden passing. It has now been exactly a month since she left her earthly body. She saved me from myself when we got together and changed my life for the better and was the one person I wanted to share everything with, no matter how small. My first instinct at the end of the day is still to want to share with her everything about my day. I am glad that we never “saved for a rainy day” because we had a lot of special memories that will last with me for the rest of my life that we might not have had if she had saved for a retirement that never came for her. I had thoughts and hopes for what married life could be from a very young age…I always knew I wanted to be married. My life with Tonya surpassed all of those expectations as a partner, friend, and the great love of my life. She was truly the other half of my whole. She supported me in all of my pursuits and helped me accomplish things I never could have without her, and I hope that she felt that I was just as supportive of her pursuits. We were a team; I knew I could always trust her and, whatever it was, we were always in it together. While she was sick, we commemorated the 25th anniversary of my wedding proposal. I had already begun mental preparation for a big celebration for our 25th wedding anniversary next year, which will now never happen. In today’s society, our marriage would be considered a long one. I wish it had been a lot longer. We made sure we told each other we loved each other every day of our marriage and would text each other at bedtime every night one or the other of us (usually me) was out of town without the other. Her last words before she became unable to respond during her last days was to ask me for a kiss, at around 5:45 AM on April 25. Neither of us ever left to go anywhere without a goodbye kiss. Perhaps she knew that’s what that was. I will always cherish the life we had together and will try to honor her life with what remains of mine.