Tawnya Phifer

Tawnya Phifer, 67, wife of the Rev. Kenneth W. Phifer, died peacefully at Arbor Hospice, Ann Arbor, MI, on September 21, 2014. She died of complications from ovarian cancer.

She was born April 4, 1947 in Toledo, Ohio to Donald Elwin Fuller and Mary Lee (Ely) Fuller. The eldest of five children, she grew up in Temperance, MI, graduating as co-valedictorian from Bedford High School in 1965.

She got married and moved to Ludington, MI and then to Hawaii, with her husband, who was serving in the U.S Coast Guard. She lived there from 1968-1972, then returned to Temperance to attend college. She worked for her father as a bookkeeper during her college years. In 1974 she graduated with highest honors from Monroe Community College. Two years later she graduated, again with highest honors, from Eastern Michigan University, majoring in accounting. She earned credentials as a CPA.

She married Dave Warnock in 1978 and they had two children, Janelle and April. Tawnya often said that the best years of her life were her twelve years as a full-time mother. She enjoyed baking, sewing, helping at school, and encouraging her girls in dance and gymnastics. In 1990 she was hired by McKinley Realty, in Ann Arbor, where she worked for twelve years. She then worked at DTE Energy in the Trading Division. She retired from DTE at the end of 2012. She had married Ken Phifer in 2003.

A memorial service was held for Tawnya at the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Ann Arbor on Saturday, October 11 at 11 a.m. Tawnya’s family and friends say she will be remembered as a kind, gentle, witty, intelligent, warm, courageous, and graceful woman.

Tawnya is survived by her husband, Ken; her parents; her brothers, Donald (Janis), Danny (Pam), Dane (Cathy), and David, her daughters, Janelle (Eric) and April; grandchildren: Ashlyn, Gavin, Kaleb, Kairi, Lyric and a baby girl due shortly; step-children Kathy (Donnie), Karl (Paige), and Dave; step-grandchildren Michael and Spencer, Gabriel and Paityn, Therion and Caleb; seven nephews and a niece.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to any of the following: The First Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 4001 Ann Arbor Saline Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103; The Cancer Support Community, 2010 Hogback Road, Suite 3, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; Arbor Hospice, 2366 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Condolences may go to: Ken Phifer, 1201 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.