Tana was born in Wichita Falls on December 9, 1954 to her mom, Jo Arner Poteet, and her dad, Bill Poteet, who lived around Duncan, Oklahoma. Both are now long deceased. Tana was an only child, and she was adored and doted on by both her mom and her dad. She has cousins that survive her from both her mom's and her dad's families.

She grew up in Oklahoma in Velma, Ratliff City, Byng, and Latta. She met Ronnie and his family when they were both still in elementary school, although he was three grades ahead of her. Their families became friends and Tana spent a lot time with Ronnie, Jack, and Joy in Tussy doing all the things dirt road country kids did, as well as going swimming at the Healdton city swimming pool while Tana's mom participated in a bowling league. During those years they were all attending Fox Public Schools, a country consolidated school district.

Tana's family moved to Byng, Oklahoma in 1968, where she began attending school there in the eighth grade. One of her best friends there, Susan Malone, remained Tana's friend over the years, coincidentally moving to Dallas some years back, where their friendship was renewed and grew closer again. Susan was a constant friend and help to Tana throughout this battle with cancer over the last year and half. There are others. If Tana was ever your friend, she was always your friend.

She finished school at Latta High School where she was valedictorian of her class and an alternate all-state basketball player, among other various awards she won over the years. Her mom was a women's basketball coach and founding member of the Oklahoma High School Basketball Association, so Tana grew up in and around basketball, which she came to love.

She and Ronnie reconnected and started dating in 1974 when he was finishing his senior year in college and she was in her freshman year. Ronnie says he thought of her as his cousin growing up but that all changed when he saw her anew as college students on that fateful day in Ada that they reconnected. They dated over the course of two years and married in Durant on July 16, 1976, where she too finished her college degree.

Although she was smart and very qualified to work outside the home, which she did after the kids were gone, Tana wanted to be a homemaker, and that she was. Brandon was born in 1979 in Durant. Kale was born in 1983 in Mesa, Arizona. Casey was born in Mesa in 1985. And Brianna was born in Duncan, Oklahoma in 1988. Don't let those places fool you, however. After living in Durant from 1976-1979, they lived four years in Ft. Collins, Colorado, four years in Tempe, Arizona, nearly a year in San Diego, California, and a year in Duncan, Oklahoma, before moving with their four children to Plano, Texas in May 1989. During the ten years Tana and Ronnie and the kids were away from Oklahoma, Tana helped Ronnie in the planting and growth of two church plants. Making more lifetime friendships during those years. Tana connected with one of her best friends, Jonell Young, while living in Colorado. Jonell came and spent a few days during Tana's final journey.

Tana was the consummate mom, sometimes driving the kids crazy, but mostly driving them to all their activities and on "errands" with her, which they hated at the time, but love to laugh about now. She also drove them to be their best at the important things—loving God, loving family, and loving their friends and church communities. She certainly taught them by example in all areas of Christian virtues and character, as they will eagerly attest.

The little girl who was an only child became the mother of four, then, became mother-in-law and fan to Sarah, Jamiann, Tyler, and Katelyn, all whom she loved and was so proud of. Furrther, she had the joy of being Mimi to seven grandchildren, four girls and three boys, Reese, Ryann, Penelope, Collins, Baylor, Brooks, and Cal. And did she ever delight in her grandchildren. She got to have a family totaling 17, that is, when she let Ronnie be counted!:) "Tana Claus," as Ronnie and the kids lovingly called her, went to work to make sure her grandkids had lots of cute, special things. One of her greatest disappointments through this last cancer battle was not getting to help with the grandkids anymore.

As you can see, Tana was a partner in all God was doing through them in ministry in states across the southwest. In 1997, all the traveling came to a stop as the destination of their preparation was being made known—DFW Metroplex. They settled first in Plano and then moved to Wylie a little over twenty years ago.

Leslie Rowe, a friend, pastor, and ministry partner for over 30 years, said that she thought it a God-deal that Tana's memorial was being held today, the anniversary of the first meeting of what became the Northeast Church and then the DFW Metro Family of Churches and FOCUS. It was at a warehouse at Shiloh and LBJ. Tana has served as a matriarch to what God did to begin the Northeast Church and then five other churches around the metroplex, as well as the ever-expanding FOCUS campus missions that operates on campuses all over the DFW.

Her heart for children, teens, and young adults has proven instrumental in all our churches have become. She has mentored lots of young women, and been a friend and guide to lots of her peers. She has served as an example to countless people of what a godly woman looks and acts like, and been an example of how to raise children for God and not yourself. She has also been a spiritual mom to quite a few young women and men over the years. Many are here today.

Tana rests in peace at Wylie Cemetery in Wylie, Texas, Tana's and Ronnie's home for over 20 years now.

Tana's legacy, (along with Ronnie and her family), is one of faith, love, laughter, and kingdom building all these years, and the testimony is easy to see.