Mr. Anthony Wayne Suggs Jr.

Obituary Anthony Wayne Suggs Jr., affectionately known as Tony or "T.J." was born on July 21, 1983 to the union of Anthony Wayne Suggs Sr. and Lori Suggs-Anderson at Brokaw Hospital in Bloomington, Illinois. He was christened at Wesley United Methodist Church in Chicago, Illinois. Anthony graduated from Keller Regional Center in 1995. He was a two time graduate of Whitney Young High School (8th grade – 1997 and high school – 2001). He ran track all four years in high school and served as captain of the team his senior year. He played football, as well as played the cello in the orchestra his senior year. He was also a naturally gifted artist. In 2005, T.J. received a scholarship to Cornell University and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He moved to Connecticut where he worked at Pratt and Whitney and met his wife Shamika. They relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina in 2009 and married in Wilson Mills, North Carolina on June 25, 2011. Tony was a rising aerospace engineer at UTC Aerospace Systems in Wilson, North Carolina. T.J. leaves to cherish his memories: his wife, Shamika, his four children, Shamar, Yasmin, Mekhi, and Aiden; his grandmother, Doris Anderson of Chicago, his Father, Anthony Suggs, Sr. (Susan) of Taylorville, IL; his mother, Lori Suggs-Anderson of Chicago; two brothers, Jonelle Knox and Harry McNeal IV; four sisters, Shanice Neal, Jessica Lael, Christina Suggs, and Nicole Lael as well as a host of other loving relatives and friends. T.J. I remember when you were first born. How excited I was to have a lil Brother. I remember the days of pushing you down the street all the way to Justin's house in Bloomington (even though I was only supposed to stroll you around the corner). I remember when you entered grammar school and how smart you were. I remember you being accepted into Whitney Young and you (being who you were) didn't really care where you went. I remember you going to Whitney Young and making your big brother proud. I remember when you were accepted into Cornell and how proud I was that my lil Brother had been accepted into an "ivy League" University. I remember driving you to college and two years later you driving yourself back. I remember you coming home from college and staying with me I remember the times you needed something and I was the person that showed up because you were my lil Brother, even when you didn't call for my help. I remember going with you to buy your first car, and you were ready to take the first one off the lot, I said, "come on let's go" – and you ended up with fully loaded one I remember you never wanting to disappoint me, and if I told you that you did, you would cry I remember you being excited at the birth of each of your children, and you sharing with me the love that you had for each of them My lil Brother, you were more than just my lil Brother, you were like the son I never had. TJ – I never thought this day would come so soon, however, God knows best. The one promise I can make is that you don't have to worry I got your back like I always have and I love you!