Tonya Shabet Merchant

Tonya Shabet Merchant was introduced to the world on December 20, 1972 by her loving parents, Neville and Dana Merchant. She left her mark on the world, but was called home on December 13, 2020.

Tonya was an all-natural athlete and excelled at track, being trained under the wing of the legendary Wilma Rudolph. She competed in the Scarbrough Peace Games in Canada and USA, and the Junior Olympics. She won numerous medals and set records that are still in place at both Creston Middle School, Warren Central High School, and the former White River State Park.

Maybe her greatest achievement was raising her son, Briant and seeing the great man he became. Tonya had a personal and strong relationship with God. She enjoyed singing and was good at it and though she would never sing a solo, she loved singing in the church choir.  Tonya never turned anyone in need away, no matter what. She stayed ready with a place to lay your head, a seat to relax, a meal to eat, an ear to hear, and she offered her own brand of motherly advice. She bossed everyone in the most loving way and her family would have it no other way! To Tonya, everyone was family. Whether she knew you for 20 years or 20 minutes, she treated you the same.

Tonya is survived by her only son that she dearly loved, Briant, his wife Khadija and two granddaughters, Khalese and Amaya; loving parents Neville and Dana, sister Jennifer and niece Victoria, her life partner Patrick Hyche (Shanika, Patrick Jr., Patrice (preceded), and Michael), her grandparents Earl and Sara, uncle Larry, Aunts Mildred, Linda, Cynthia (Marcelino); along with a host of cousins (Marlon, Jason, Owen Jr., Pableto Jr. (PJ), Marcelino (Marc), Gabriela, Julian, Joshua, Lauren, and Shelby). She was preceded in death by her grandmother Patsy A. Smith, uncle Michael G. Jordan, and cousin Jessee H. Jordan.

Flanner Buchanan Washington Park East has been entrusted with Tonya’s care. Services will be held Friday, December 18^th at House of Prayer Community Church (6175 E 46^th Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46226) with visitation from 10AM to 12Noon, private funeral services to follow at 12Noon, concluding with burial at Washington Park East at 3PM with her final resting place next to family.