TONJA WASHINGTON-GREATHOUSE

Tonja Denise Washington was born in Austin, Texas on March 21, 1976, to the parents of Darnell Everett Washington and Jacqueline Taylor Roberson. She was always busy, creative, and ambitious, so her friends fondly nicknamed her ‘Miss Beasley’ and ‘Ladybug’.

In 1981 Tonja moved to Dallas with her mother and her sister. Tonja received her formal education with the Dallas ISD.  In 1991 she joined the Job Corp of America in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While in the Job Corp, Tonja received her state certification to be a Certified Nurse’s Assistant. After completing her training with the Job Corp, Tonja returned to Dallas where she began working as a CNA with Brentwood Nursing Facility and Mesquite Tree Nursing Facility. In 1995 she enrolled in En Vogue Beauty School of Dallas, where she received her State Cosmetology License.

Tonja accepted Christ as her Savior at an early age. She attended New Bethel Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend C.C. McNealy and in 1995 she became a member of Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church, under the leadership of Reverend Terry Walker. For the sake of family worship, in 2019, she moved her membership to New Hope Baptist Church in Mesquite, under the leadership of Pastor Reginal Jefferson, where she remained a member until the Lord called her home. Tonja loved the Lord and His Holy Word. She was very faithful in studying His word daily and very eager to share the goodness of the Lord.

Tonja was a very proud mother of four children, a son, Antoine and three daughters, Anquanette, Antonija and Alate. Tonja loved her children and was very proud of their success. She was a loving daughter and sister. Because of her very kind spirit, she never met a stranger, she was also a strong and resilient young woman.  She will be forever remembered and greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Tonja departed this life on October 15, 2021. She was preceded in death by both of her maternal grandparents, Monroe E. Taylor, and Opal Taylor Baker; her paternal grandparents, Sammie J. Washington and Minnie L. Washington-Reese; uncles Ira Dell Major and Jesse Allen Taylor, Sammie Lee Washington, Herman Washington, Larrie Washington, Sr., Clarence Williams, Andrew Washington, Sr., Hulisher (Randy) Washington.

She leaves to cherish her loving memory a husband, Jamar Greathouse of Savanah, GA; mother, Jacqueline Taylor Farley and stepfather, Matthew Farley both of Mesquite, TX; father, Darnell Washington of Bastrop, TX; son, Antoine Washington; daughters, Anquanette Moore, Antonija Greathouse and Alate Henry; step children, Natoya Greathouse, Eric Greathouse, and Christopher McKnight;  sisters, Sonja Watkins (Andrew); Evette Washington-Taylor, Yolanda Washington-Kindred, Kimberly Washington-Smith; step brother, Ronald Snell;  nephew, Anthony Patterson (Chiniquia);  niece, Antonia Patterson (NaRada); aunts, Irene Delores Taylor Garcia (Benjamin), Linda Taylor Ellis (Harold), Victoria Taylor McClain (Charles Ray), Patricia Washington-Phillips; uncles, Monroe Taylor III (Vanessa), Michael Taylor (Gloria), Mark Taylor, Johnny Lee Washington, Sr., Louis Ray Washington, Sr., Brian Washington Sr.; a very special friend, Gerome Crawford; and a host of loving relatives and friends.