Our friend and sister, Tanya Maria Word, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday night, January 4th, 2026 in North Carolina. Tanya battled Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer for over three years and she fought long and hard the entire time. Her last 3 years of life were miraculous! She defied all odds, and despite her diagnosis, her death was sudden and unexpected.

Tanya's desire was to re-locate to Toledo, OH and she was in the process of moving and interviewing physicians for continuity of care in Ohio. Unfortunately, the move did not occur. Tanya's final wishes were to return to Detroit, MI to her hometown church for funeral services and to be buried alongside her beloved parents.

WE ALL LOVED TANYA MARIA WORD! Her impact throughout the National Association of the Church of God has been remarkable. The social media responses, the love shared and the many stories of how "Lady T" touched your lives have been a blessing to read.

WE NOW NEED YOUR HELP! WE ARE ON A MISSION TO BRING TANYA MARIA WORD HOME! We want her to have a beautiful homegoing celebration which she is much deserving of. She lived well, she showed us strong faith in the midst of adversity and she openly shared her Pancreatic Cancer battle with all of us.

All donations raised will go toward transportation, funeral and burial expenses. Let us express our condolences and love for Tanya by being a blessing to her to fulfill her final wishes. We believe in our Church of God Community and the hundreds of friends whose lives Tanya touched. A special thank you to her neighbors, friends and family who helped to care for Tanya as she became ill. Thanks to those who continue to care for Luna, her very special support companion/"child"/pet, who was trained to assist her. I know Luna will miss her "Mommy."

Thank you in advance for your generosity and financial support for this worthy cause.

Gratefully,

Rev. Dr. Carol Flewellen Merritt

Sister/Friend