Tonya Carlock

Tonya Lynette Carlock age 53, passed away April 12, 2025at her home in Cleveland, TN. Tonya was born February 12, 1972 in Landstuhle, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany to William Lewis Carlock and Alberta Johnson Carlock (Hover). She came to the United States with her parents in 1973. She was a graduate of Cleveland High School. After high school she attended cosmetology school for awhile. She soon enrolled in the Certified Nursing Assistant program at Erlanger Hospital. She found her niche as a caregiver and became one of the best in that field. Tonya was employed at Erlanger and served there several years. After relocating to Huntsville, Alabama she was employed by Huntsville Medical Center. Tonya also worked as a private sitter. When she passed away she was part of the care team for her aging aunt Joyce Brown. Maybe God thought she needed a care taker so early Friday morning April 18, He carried her “auntie” home to be with her.

Tonya had such a warm and inviting spirit that if you met her once you probably wanted to get to know her better. From a very young age she “never met a stranger”. She was kind, giving, fun loving and enjoyed people. While in elementary and high school she was rarely absent. Academia was not really her priority but she loved the socialization. She attended Trinity United Methodist Church and served as part of the kitchen committee but also helped out wherever needed.

She was preceded in death by her father William Lewis Carlock, maternal grandparents Alberta and George Cansler, Glenn Johnson,Sr.and MaryRuth Johnson; paternal grandparents Osmore (Bud) and Bobbie Carlock; aunts: Elnora Nalley, Magnolia Bills, Camilla Kincaid, Jean Carlock, Jennie Johnson, Bobbie Sue Melton and Willie Frances Bailey; uncles: Robert Johnson, Charles Johnson, Glenn Johnson Jr. and A.D. Carlock ; her first love and father of her children Aaron Anderson.

Those left to mourn her departure are her daughters, Ja'Sonna (Terin) Richardson and Naja Anderson; sisters Karen(John) Piner-Givens, Lois Carlock and Betsy(Bruce) Richens; mother Alberta and“dad”Swan Hover; grandchildren A'Daysha, King, Josiah, Hezekiah and Ameer Richardson; nephews Alex White, Daveron Carlock and Jalen Thompson; Peggy Johnson, Jean Malone, Judy Carlock-Anthony and Cynthia Johnson, special cousins Angela Cox and Valerie Buchanan, mother-in-love Annie Anderson, BFF Dana Vital-Herne, long timefriend Melvin Jackson plus a multitude of other cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of M.D. Dotson and Sons Funeral Home -Cleveland, Tennessee with Rev. Melanie Willetts officiating. The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the funeral home from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow the service at Lakewood Memory Gardens East 4621 Shallowford Rd. Chattanooga, TN.