First I’d like to thank you all for being here in support of Tammy, our children, and our family & friends. You are all part of our extended family and we appreciate you taking the time out of your day to celebrate Tammy’s life with us.

I’ll see what I can do about providing a little background on Tammy, for those who may not have known her so well.

Tammy Theresa Foltz was born and raised in a small town just outside of South Bend, Indiana. Her mother Ruth (who joins us today) and her father split up when Tammy was fairly young. Ruth raised Tammy as a single parent and worked tirelessly to afford her daughter a better life than she had herself. For that Ruth, I can only thank you for the example you were to Tammy, and to her children. And shining example of a Mother’s never-ending love & support that you shared with her – right up to the end of her days with us. Thank you and know we all love you so much.

Tammy grew up a free spirit of the 70’s. She loved the outdoors, and especially the creatures contained therein. No matter the size of the animal, Tammy had an undeniable link to all of God’s creatures. She would often tell us stories of her various pets – dogs, cats, squirrels, turtles, fish, birds, ferrets, horses, ponies, and just about anything else you could find outdoors and make into a pet. Tammy had an affinity for loving all animals big and small, cute and ugly, sweet or sassy – she couldn’t resist her adoration and connection to them all. She was especially fond of horses. Having owned several, she would always tell us stories about her adventures with each horse. One of her last wishes was to be able to ride a horse again.

Tammy was also very active in beauty pageants and other talent competitions. I can only guess that she was a ringer for top prize in just about anything she entered. Her bright beautiful smile could light up a room and draw anyone’s attention. Her softness would lock you in with a gaze into her eyes. She always liked to show us the many trophies of her past pageant victories. Her royal crowns are still kept safe and enjoyed by Aaralyn whenever she wants to feel like a princess.

But Tammy’s crowns were not her most proud achievement in life. No, not even close. She was most proud of one thing, well, actually four – her children. Victor (aka Tony), now 24 years old is an aspiring musician and an electrician; Malia, 17 years old and about to graduate High School and head off to college in the Fall; Sierra, 15 years old and wrapping up her freshman year in High School; and finally Aaralyn, who will be celebrating her 10th birthday in 2 weeks. Each one of these beautiful children are unique and special in their thoughts, emotions and personalities. And for that, Tammy was always a beaming and proud Mother.

When our lives intersected in the Winter of 2000, Tammy and I had our ups and downs. I was previously living down by the beach with an amazing ocean view, 2 other friends from college, and life was pretty darn easy and carefree. If I remember correctly, the biggest stress every week was deciding who had to walk down the street and pick up a 6-pack of beer and steaks for the evening BBQ. My life with Tammy would change that… a bit…

We fell madly in love, instantly. But through the initial time we spent together, I was introduced to the scariest thing you could have ever put me in front of… No, not a firing squad while blindfolded, no, not a large auditorium filled with angry people wanting to hear a life defining speech… It was my kryptonite – two little children; two little girls no doubt. But it was these two little girls that would cement my love and affection and sweep me off my feet. Malia & Sierra you may never know how much more frightened I was to meet you, then you were to meet me. But with Tammy’s loving care and guidance, I was tackled, tickled, and had stickers strewn all about my face on a regular basis by these two less than 4 foot tall, ladies. My life had been changed (for the better) forever.

Fast forward 5 years to our littlest angel, Aaralyn. Tammy loved to be a mom. She couldn’t wait to have another little girl running through the house whipping me into shape. And when Aaralyn came along, she definitely had to fight to earn her place. Being almost a month premature, she started in the NICU but quickly grew into a healthy and vibrant bouncing girl. And now I was not only outnumbered, but outwitted, outranked, and flat out, outlasted by these little ladies. You can count the number of times they overran me by the number of gray hairs on my head. Trust me, you won’t be able to count that high.

In her late teens Tammy was officially diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Her disease never stopped her from enjoying all that life had to offer. Tammy weighed nearly 100 lbs when soaking wet, but she could out eat a man twice her size, any day of the week. She was not one to skimp on the rich and savory items that any foodie would rave about. She loved food. Loved it. The whole experience of eating delicious food was her passion. Her main vices were Diet Mountain Dew (because the caffeine was better than coffee, as she said) and desserts (ice cream, milkshakes, creme brûlée), you name it, she loved it.

It wasn’t until 2011 that her health took a sharp turn and her body started to fight against her. Through a series of “black cloud” events, the years were filled with many trips to the hospital. Through it all, Tammy persevered and kept a positive outlook on life. I don’t think I have ever seen, nor heard of anyone who had that many roadblocks thrown at them and kept fighting and trying to stay positive.

In October 2012 she received the news that her kidneys were failing. She started frequent dialysis and with a few other nagging health-related issues, continued to fight for her health. It was an uphill battle all the way.

In the end, that morning nearly 3 weeks ago, I believe she was not ready to give up. She was a fighter through and through. I believe that her passing was more of a merciful, and meaningful option, than the battles she would have had to continue and endure for future years. I believe it was the exact & divinely chosen time for Tammy’s struggle and suffering to end. And that is what God intended that fateful morning. She no longer had to suffer. She could now be free.

I believe there is a lesson we all must learn as a result of Tammy’s passing. She didn’t die in vain, and we must realize the lesson is in how we spend our time and how we treat each other & ourselves.

A quote I found that speaks volumes on this lesson says: