IN LOVING MEMORY OF Tonia Parkes

Tonia

Parkes

May 10, 1946 — Jul 6, 2020

Knoxville

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Tonia Parkes' Obituary

Sunrise: Tonia Lee (Sanders) Parkes was born May 10,1946 in Weed, CA.

Sunset: Tonia Lee (Sanders) Parkes, age 74 of Knoxville, TN, formerly of Michigan City,

IN, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 6, 2020.

Toni gave her life over to Christ over 20 years ago at God's Grace in Michigan City, IN.

She loved going to church and served in various leadership roles. She loved reading the

Bible and watching Rev. James T. Meeks and TD Jakes. She called Michigan City, IN

home for over 60 years until moving to be closer to her son and his family in Tennessee.

She lived a simple, humble life with her focal point being to support her family in any

way she could.

If you had the good fortune of knowing Toni Parkes, she was known for having a

tremendous work ethic: she consistently showed up to work every day 30-45 mins early

for 20 years! Toni never believed in being late to anything she was scheduled to attend

and believed in giving her absolute best in everything she did.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lennie Mae Smith Kizzie and Andrew

Sanders; brother, Tyrone Kizzie; husband, Howard "Butch" Parkes; and one

granddaughter, Ebony Nicole Parkes.

Toni is survived by her three sons; James Sanders and Anthony Parkes, both of Fort.

Worth, TX; Hollis (Mary) Edwards of Knoxville, TN, Knoxville, TN; Grandkids; Nina-

Simone LaTonia Edwards, Hollis Christion Edwards and Cahlib Edwards of Knoxville,

TN; Keosha Chandler, Seattle, WA; Michael Parkes, Charlotte, NC;Leighton Sherae

Sanders, Fort Worth,TX; a host of great grandkids, cousins, and friends.

Toni had a special relationship with her son Hollis, and his wife Mary. She loved and

enjoyed spending time with her grandkids Cahlib, Hollis Christion, and Nina-Simone

more than anything. Those 6 did everything together. They went to sporting events for

the boys, they went on vacation together, and they spent almost every Thanksgiving

and Christmas together. The Edwards 6 is missing one of its members and will truly

miss their time together.

She loved the Lord and was living a holy and saved lifestyle even though she would be

the first to admit that she wasn't perfect, and that GOD wasn't finished with her yet. She

would want this to be a celebration of her life, and if she thought everyone was sad, she

would she would say her famous words: "

I know you shame

...I am home with the Lord

and I finally get to see my mom again."

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