Tonia Clifford Keyes Huillet

In an era when athletics were essentially man’s domain, Tonia pursued sports with a passion. She lettered in three sports in high school and was president of the Girls’ Athletic Association. So, it was natural to use an athletic theme when she offered me advice during a low period in my youth.

“A swimmer struggled against the current to reach his goal upstream. Though he had but one arm, he did have two strong legs,” she said. “By synchronizing the strength of the arm and legs he made it. With lungs heaving, he crawled and pulled himself onto the opposite shore. He probably could have justified to himself not bothering to swim at all. But he focused on what he had, rather than what he was denied, and the exhilaration of overcoming a challenge was priceless.” I got the message.  

Tonia’s life was a pilgrimage of building on what she had been given, and pushing aside the temptation to mourn for what she had been denied. She grew up in what, today, would be considered an impoverished family. But she had a keen intellect and good health, so she worked full time while putting herself through college and pursuing postgraduate studies. She acquired a deep love for America and served both as an enlistee and as an officer in the Women’s Air Corp.

She was a popular Master Teacher at the junior high and high school levels. It was an ideal venue for her to instill in others the philosophy of building on what you have. Two marriages surrounded her with nine children and many grandchildren to love and nurture. Tonia also served in various teaching and counseling capacities in church. In all her contacts, she remembered that one-on-one is where it is at.

So well did Tonia focus on building what she had been given, that it was a shock to learn that she had been a victim of repeated sexual molestation when very young. She had carried that emotional burden alone for fifty-five years, until events convinced her it was time to deal with it.

For her final eight years, she fought the battle against lymphatic cancer. Ever upbeat—even when undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatment—she built on what she yet had. She played with grandchildren, taught and counseled in public school and in church, and traveled worldwide. Finally, at the care center she deferred having life support removed until she could hold another about-to-be-born grandchild in her arms.

Tonia was not famous. She was not wealthy in worldly terms. Her life was cut short. But she diligently built on what she had been given. She is truly a heroine.