Tawana V. Elliott

Various adjectives can describe her: tactful, bossy, fashion-forward, jovial. The list is as expansive as the very libraries she would explore but ‘loved’ is the central theme. She is loved. Tawana Victoria Elliott, a native Washingtonian, was born to Louis and Costine Waugh on March 28, 1961. Spending city summers at the Carter Baron and Rock Creek Park, she harvested wisdom with every new adventure.

Tawana was awarded a full scholarship to attend the National Cathedral School; there her love for knowledge blossomed. After graduating, she (and her infamous Volvo) embarked on a new educational journey: college. Massachusetts bore the world traveler we celebrate today. As a sophomore at Boston University, Tawana dropped out of school to raise her “first-born”, Raymond, and worked at a corporation known today as Verizon. From New York to Maine, she ascended through various positions at the phone company until she received the management position she earned. The finer things in life captivated her; providing them for herself fostered a strength that left others amazed.

Still, she grounded herself in faith and family. She connected loved ones, neighborhood friends, officials, and coworkers. By 25, her family stretched across area codes, but she did not stop there. Tawana moved back to DC and delivered twin daughters in the summer of 1997. She also began a long-term career at the Department of Justice, quenching her thirst for activism and leadership. Viewing setbacks as comebacks was one of her greatest superpowers, among others.

The following year, she scooped up her girls and fearlessly moved into her first home. The Waugh Girls, Kenya and Kayla, were born with a plethora of memories to follow; their countless trips to Disney World solidified an unbroken bond before six years old. Tawana ensured that both daughters completed college with honors; she proudly watched them walk across the stage at Hampton University in 2019.

Although she whisked her girls and her endeavors from city to city, Tawana anchored her home in love. In 2015, she opened her heart to James Elliott the day the two exchanged vows. Their union blended a legacy cultivated by holiday fireworks, cookouts, and beach vacations. Within it, she built her family for nearly 30 years. Thanksgivings and Christmases were her favorite holidays, as Tawana would sometimes sit back and admire the togetherness felt in one room. She opened her heart to those who needed it most. Her laugh echoed through every hallway she entered, pouring joy into the lives of others. Tawana Elliott far surpassed the role of mother, wife, colleague, and friend. She was a comedienne in her own right and a voice of reason. Her guidance still rings in the minds of many, in addition to an infectious smile. In her transition, Tawana leaves a trail of grandeur and grace behind her.

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