Thea Viola Godinez

Thea "T.V." "Charlie" Godinez, 56, joined our Lord in heaven Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Born Oct. 15, 1954, to Robert Lee and Mirra "Mickie" Tyo in Cheyenne, Wyo. Thea worked at Logli's on East State Street, where she met and later married Ernesto "Ernie" Godinez on June 21, 1991. Thea loved spending time with her mother and was a caring, loving person who loved to have a good laugh. Thea is survived by her husband, Ernie; son, Lee James; brother, Robert Tyo; nieces, Sara (Dan) Hogan and Rebecca Tyo; and sister-in-law, Norma Tyo. Thea was preceded in death by her parents. Service at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 13, in Sunset Funeral Home, 8800 N. Alpine Road, Machesney Park, with visitation one hour before service time. Visitation also from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the funeral home. Entombment after service. For more information, visit sunsetfhmemgardens .com.


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If I were to tell you about my aunt Thea, I would start with her quirky laugh.  She loved to laugh and had a witty personality to go with her beautiful smile.  She lived in the apartment upstairs from us when I was growing up, and there were very few days when Becky and I wouldn't beg to "go up to Thea's."  We'd call first: "Hi, Thea!  Can we come up?"  The answer was always yes.  I can't remember a single moment when we ever felt unwelcome.  We'd spend hours up there with her.  She would listen to us chat endlessly, we'd have snacks and watch cartoons or Nickelodeon on cable, and sometimes Ernie would bring us Kool Aid samples and toys from the grocery store.  She showed me how to shuffle playing cards, and taught me my first song on the piano.  I remember her cat - K.C. - and so many other things about the years we spent close to her.  For a long time I wanted to be just like her - she was strikingly beautiful, stylish, funny and always so generous to us.

Then there were holidays at Grandma Mickie's.  Thea was never on time, but seeing her and Ernie and later, Lee, was always a highlight for us.  She would always be in charge of passing out the gifts at Christmas, and we were her eager helpers.  There are definitely moments when I wish for just one more holiday with us all together. 

I loved Thea.  I was proud to call her my aunt.  Our family was small, and there weren't many she called "friend," but those who knew her, loved her.   Later in life, her struggles broke my heart and the hearts of those around her.  I will always wonder if there was something I should have or could have done to help.  I will always regret the fact that I didn't go see her last Christmas.  That I didn't visit more often.  But I do find comfort in this: she is no longer struggling, now resting in the arms of Christ.

So, for now, I will cherish the memories of the time we spent together.  The memories of the beautiful aunt that I loved so much.  And I will miss her until I see her again.