Toni L Schmonsees

Toni Lynn (Atkins) Schmonsees, 63, of Champaign, IL passed away on October 26, 2020 at OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana. Born March 23, 1957 in Paxton, IL, Toni graduated from Rantoul High School in 1975. She went on to become a registered nurse and worked at Burnham Hospital for several years until one night she met a young lieutenant at a bar who asked her to dance. She told him no. Luckily for all of us, however, he asked her again, and that time, she said yes. Toni married Paul H. Schmonsees (Lt. Col. USAF, Retired) of River Edge, NJ, on April 17, 1980 at Chanute AFB. Together they traveled the United States, spending the next 22 years serving our country. They were married for 40 incredible years and raised two children, Nicholas (Terasa) Schmonsees and Cristina (Andrew) Wolfe. They also had four grandchildren: Austin, Christian and Evin Schmonsees; and Grayson Wolfe. Toni is survived by her husband, her children and grandchildren, as well as her mother Beverly (Mannin Atkins) Peters; her sister Yvette (Pete Klein) Atkins and niece Madeline Klein; her brother Terry (Marsha) Atkins and nephew Jeffrey Atkins; her step-brother Brian Peters; and her many cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, in-laws and friends who became family. She was greeted in Heaven by her father C.J. Peters, her grandmother Rose (Morlan Mannin) Glass, her uncle Tom Mannin, her aunt Glenda (Wright) Mannin, her parents-in-law John and Agnes (Lobherr) Schmonsees, and all those who passed before her, including her fur-babies. She is surrounded by love and light. Toni enjoyed life, put her family first, loved animals, and was always ready to find that bargain at the store or online. She was an amazing cook who loved to host family and friends and whose motto for entertaining was simply 'Better to have too much, than not enough.' She spent her life making sure we always had enough - enough food, enough drink, enough laughter, enough love. But we didn't have enough time... She will be laid to rest in the Danville National Cemetery on Thursday, November 12, 2020 in a private ceremony for immediate family. A celebration of life will occur at a later date when it is safe to gather and share hugs and memories. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Toni's name to the Champaign County Humane Society or the Eastern Illinois Food Bank. She was truly the best wife, mother, and nana a family could ever have. We will miss her dearly.

Please join her family in sharing memories, photos and videos on her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com