Tonya Kaye (Bland) Powell, 79, loving daughter, sister, aunt, wife, and friend passed from this life Friday, August 28, 2026. She was born January 6, 1947, in Shawnee, Oklahoma 3 minutes before her twin sister Sonya, to parents Barb (B.L.) and Lovetta Ilene (Williams) Bland. The first 9 years of her life were spent in the Garden Grove community attending Garden Grove Missionary Baptist Church. The family moved to Shawnee in 1956. She attended schools there – graduating with the “fabulous” class of 1965. Her nickname in high school was Rebel because she was known to rebel. She attended East Central University before going to work at the FAA, followed by employment at Tinker Air Force Base, from which she had an early retirement. She then worked several years in banking. She loved her precious nephew Jason Young, and she thought of him as her own. He called her “Nonny” and often said he had two mommies. He was the light of her life. Tonya was a daredevil having jumped off the balcony of her parent’s house (after being dared) resulting in a broken back and lifelong problems. She loved being called TK. Tonya liked playing jokes, pulling pranks, and wearing funny glasses. Tk was very patriotic and often said she would bleed red, white, and blue when she died. In 1985 she met the love of her life, Cliff Powell. They married in January 1986. They shared a love of classic cars and from the time they bought their first one, they always had at least one. Of particular pride was their 1969 Chevelle. A red convertible (SS396 big block) for which they won many trophies. Weekend car shows were regular events. They also shared a love for OU football having season tickets for many years. She was also a huge OKC Thunder fan. Tonya was a devout Christian. She was a long-time member of Wilmont Place Baptist Church, teaching the 4/5-year-old Sunday School class with her sister Sonya for over twenty years. She loved participating in Wilmont Church activities especially vacation bible school and Judgement House. She loved reading the bible and had read it through several times. She and Sonya shared a daily Bible reading and special prayer time. Her desire would be that all would receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Her favorite bible verse is John 14:6. She loved writing poetry and was very good at it. She loved “wiener” dogs having owned numerous precious ones. Her favorite was a piebald named Mimi. She loved gospel music and had many cd’s. She especially loved the old gospel hymns. The two saddest days of her life were the loss of her precious nephew, Jason Young, and the loss of the love of her life Cliff. She enjoyed going to Class of ’65 luncheons and reconnecting with former classmates. She especially appreciated Vonda planning them with the help of Karen and Sandy. Tonya considered them all as special friends. Tonya and Sonya got a “Kick” out of telling people they were “womb mates” before they were roommates. Tonya is preceded in death by her parents; loving husband, Clliff; precious nephew, Jason; infant brother, Darrell Conrad Bland; maternal grandparents, Cecil and Dicie Williams; paternal grandparents, George Washington and Alice (Sharp) Bland; brother-in-law, Lloyd Jackson; and lifelong friends, Jane Walker Epperson and Cheryl Black Benton. She is survived by her twin sister, Sonya Jackson with whom she shared a special bond; many cousins, Helen Chastain, Monty and Lisa Stewart, Katrina Bland Prince, Karen Bland Hicks, and Larry Jones; sweet friend and niece, Particia Carol Werner; great nephew, W.J. Werner, and nephew, Jeff Bland; Special friends of over 60 years, Paula (French) Mihelcic, Phyllis (Barton) Inda, Darla (Compton) Reynolds; and others, Sharon Harris, Angela Drabek, Diana Satterlee, Tammy Orr, and Bill and Sherry Fleming; as well as her special dachshund, Mimi.