Tawnya Kay Foutch of Shawnee, Oklahoma, formerly of Ulysses, Kansas passed on from this life on Monday November 25th at 7:57 p.m. Tawnya served her community of Ulysses for many years as an EMT, then as a Paramedic and Registered Nurse. She had passion and skill for emergent care, always keeping a cool head and helping the patients she cared for to feel at ease. Later she returned to the long-term care field, as a charge nurse and then director of nursing, where she thrived in her relationships with the residents whom she truly loved and cared for.
Tawnya always wanted to make sure that no one lied when she was gone and was referred to as someone who “lit up the room”, or who was “loved by everyone”, as she was much more likely to light a fire under you and while not loved by everyone, she was a fierce protector and advocate for those she loved. She was a soaking wet 100 lb mamma bear who would vehemently go to war for any of her children, grandchildren, or any one of her many, many bonus children that she helped raise over the years. We oftentimes gave her a hard time about taking in “strays”, people, not pets, because she was always willing to help and even open her home to anyone who needed it, regardless of the public’s perception of these individuals. Though she only gave birth to four children, we cannot begin to count the number of people who were lucky enough to call her “Mom”, or “Granny” over the years.
Tawnya was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Judy Foutch, and her son, who was quite possibly the favorite child, Shadow Findley, as well as her two best friends Lori Ozborn and Amanda Keaton.
She is survived by her sister, Tammy McMurtry; Children, Aerial Foutch, and significant other whom Tawnya referred to as “PIA” Rodney Overstreet-Crane, Tianna Binns and spouse Caleb Binns, and Shamira Findley and significant other Isaiah Valdez; Grandchildren, Adion Nelson, Ezra Nelson, Ellie Binns, Shady Findley, Elias Archuleta, David Solarte-Evans, Colt Binns, and Enzo Foutch; as well as multiple bonus children and grandchildren that have referred to her as mom or crazy granny, including but not limited to Kelsie Berger, Bentlee Gaspard, Jackie Keaton, Levi & Faith Crane, Robert D. Nelson, Mina Good, Tyler Oliver, Zach Irvin, Cynthia Walters, Alisha Pena, Dakota Cline, Seth Shapland, Danielle Biddle, and Kristen Rowe; and her two furry companions Eklipse and Missy. Apologies for anyone that we left off this list, as she impacted so many over the years.
Tawnya was very adamant that she did not want a funeral service, but instead hoped that all those who would like to celebrate her life enjoy margaritas and crazy stories of your time together (hopefully some of you are lucky enough to have her secret margarita recipe). Her cremains will be spread in Florida at a later date, as the ocean was her favorite place. A memorial fund has been set up on https://gofund.me/7c85305c.