Obituary for Taneka DeNyce Thomas

It is with deep love and sorrow that we announce the passing of Taneka DeNyce Thomas, who transitioned on March 30, 2026, on the age of 47 after a sudden coronary heart assault.

Born on March 8, 1979, in Washington, D.C., Taneka was the beloved center youngster of three sisters. Raised in a navy household, she spent her youth touring the world—together with years in Germany, the place she grew to become fluent within the language and shaped bonds that will final a lifetime. In 1995, the household settled in Newport News, Virginia, the place she actually referred to as dwelling for the remainder of her life.

To know Taneka was to know a lady of boundless vitality and a radiant presence. One expensive pal described her completely as “the sun,” noting her distinctive skill to convey heat and light into each room she entered. She was a bridge-builder who maintained a world circle of buddies, a testomony to her loyalty and the lasting affect she had on everybody she met.

Taneka lived a life soundtracked by an eclectic love for music. Whether she was vibing to 90s grunge, catching the rhythm of R&B and hip hop, or main the way in which via a rustic line dance, her spirit was all the time in movement. Her ardour prolonged to the sidelines of the soccer area; a devoted fan of the Chicago Bears, she shared her love for the sport by volunteering as a Little League soccer assistant within the Newport News neighborhood. A loyal mom and grandmother, Taneka beloved her household with a fierce and unwavering safety.

She was preceded in loss of life by her beloved son, Joseph George-Thomas, who handed away final yr and whom she carried in her coronary heart all the time.

She leaves to cherish her reminiscence, her daughter, Tatiyana York; two granddaughters, Penelope York and Harmony Marshall, who have been the sunshine of her life; her mother and father, LaVerne and Geoffrey Thomas; her sisters, Artesha Moore (William) and Tiffany Cannon (Marcus); her niece and nephews, whom she beloved dearly; and an enormous neighborhood of prolonged household and buddies—from the D.C. space to Germany, and all through her beloved dwelling of Newport News—whose lives have been made brighter by her laughter, her energy, and her help.

A memorial service to have a good time Taneka’s life might be held at Noon on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Whiting’s Funeral Home.

Professional providers have been entrusted to the employees of Whiting’s Funeral Home, 7005 Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185. 757-229-3011 whitingsfuneralhome.com

To ship flowers
to the household or plant a tree
in reminiscence of Taneka DeNyce Thomas, please go to our floral retailer.