Tammy L. DeFalco, 56, of Sylvania, passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2019. Born May 30, 1962 at 6:46 p.m., Tammy was always smiling and happy from the time she woke up until you kissed her goodnight.

Tammy attended Heffner Lott Day School. Tammy was the first child with Down Syndrome to have the honor of being nominated from the board of MR/DD to represent Lucas County as its first Poster Child. Tammy was a member of the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Toledo and the oldest living documented Downs Syndrome person in North West Ohio till her passing on March 14, 2019.

Tammy graduated from Larc Lane School in 1982. She then entered Lott Industries where she loved working in the Sheltered Workshop at the Berdan Facility. She enjoyed music, dancing, opera, disco, roller skating, and Ohio State Football. Tammy also had a gift to gamble, traveling to Greek Town in Detroit and Las Vegas.

Tammy competed in track and field and attended the Lucas County Special Olympics and the State Summer Games in Columbus, Ohio. She loved sports and was a starter in Basketball, Volleyball, and Bocce Ball. She had at least 500 gold medals, but she treasured her only two silver medals that she gave to her Uncle Richard and Uncle Albert. She also treasured her Uncle Jesse who traveled every year to be with Tammy for her birthday.

Tammy loved to be working at her brother’s store, Monnette’s Market on Secor Rd. where she enjoyed visiting with the customers and working with the staff.

Tammy loved her friends; she had many p.j. parties and went to every dinner/dance held by the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities. She loved her Orthodox Christian faith and going to church where she was proud to be in the choir. Although she had limitations, Tammy still found a way to not just fit in, but to positively affect the lives of everyone with whom she came into contact. She loved and enjoyed being an aunt to all her mother’s grandchildren and great grandchildren referring to them as “her grand babies”.

Tammy was preceded in death by her father Louis William DeFalco.

She is survived by her mother Carlene DeFalco; brothers William and John (Linda) DeFalco; 7 nieces and nephews; 9 great-nieces and nephews.

Friends may visit at the Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Rd., on Monday, March 18 from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. where a Trisagion of Mercy Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. A funeral procession will begin in the funeral home on Tuesday, March 19 at 9:15 a.m. to the St. Elias Antiochian Christian Orthodox Church, 4940 Harroun Rd., Sylvania 43560 where Tammy will lie in state from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. with a Funeral Liturgy beginning at 11:00 a.m. Officiating is Archpriest Ayman Kfouf. Entombment services will follow at Toledo Memorial Park.

The family wishes to thank Tammy’s extended family and special friend Vi-Jay Seth, best friends Kathy Clemens and Charla Joseph Akerman and especially her caregivers Michelle Ratkin and Theresa Athaide-Victor for their continued concern and loving daily care for almost a full year.