Funeral Information
Location:
J.P. Moore Celebration Center
Date: 08-22-2026
Time: 3:00 PM
Time: 3:00 PM
Visitation Information
Location:
J.P. Moore Celebration Center
Date:
Time:
Time:
Our Condolences
If you are viewing our web page during the time of a loss, please allow us to extend our sincerest condolences. Our hope is that you find comfort during this time with the assistance of this message created especially with you in mind.
Obituary
“She considered herself the luckiest person in the world—not because she had everything, but because she knew she was blessed.”
Some people spend a lifetime searching for happiness, while others discover that life’s greatest treasures are often found in the simplest places—in family, in laughter, in giving, in new experiences, and in making beautiful memories with the people you love.
Kawonna Sherika Dumas understood that kind of happiness.
She considered herself one of the luckiest people in the world. Not because life was always perfect, but because Kawonna recognized her blessings. She appreciated the people God placed in her life, treasured the moments she was given, and understood a lesson that became evident in the way she lived: It is better to give than to receive.
Kawonna was born on November 24, 1983, to Frankye Yvonne King Cook and Charles F. Dumas. From her earliest years, family became an important part of the woman she would become. Her love for those closest to her remained at the center of her life.
She attended Taylor County High School, where she completed her secondary education and continued forward into adulthood with an outgoing spirit, a strong work ethic, and a desire to enjoy everything life had to offer.
Throughout her working years, Kawonna demonstrated versatility and dedication. She worked for McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, and Amazon, and also served in management at Circle K. Wherever she worked, she carried with her the same personality known and loved by family and friends—a woman who knew how to work, how to connect with people, and how to keep moving forward.
But Kawonna understood that life could not be measured by work alone. She believed in living.
She loved to travel and experience new places. She loved concerts and the excitement of hearing music come alive. She enjoyed making memories, laughing, spending time with those she loved, and embracing opportunities to experience something new.
Yet no destination she visited and no concert she attended could compare to what mattered most to Kawonna: her family.
Kawonna was deeply family-oriented. She loved her children, cherished those closest to her, and found joy in simply being connected to the people who made her world complete. Becoming a grandmother added another beautiful dimension to that love, giving her yet another reason to count herself blessed.
She also possessed a giving heart. Kawonna understood that generosity was about more than material things. Sometimes the greatest gifts are your time, your presence, your encouragement, your laughter, and simply showing up for the people you love.
That was part of Kawonna’s gift to this world—she gave of herself.
On Monday, August 10, 2026, Kawonna’s earthly journey came to an end. Though her 42 years seem far too brief to those who loved her, the value of her life cannot be measured by its length alone. It must also be measured by the love she gave, the memories she created, the places she traveled, the laughter she shared, and the family she treasured.
She leaves to cherish her precious memory her father, Charles F. Dumas of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; her mother, Frankye (Jerry) Cook of Quincy, Florida; her devoted fiancé, Christopher Saulsberry; her sons, Kareem Dumas, Michael Saulsberry, and Christian Saulsberry, all of Tallahassee, Florida; her daughters, Triston (Tarik) Waheed and Markayla Williams, both of Tallahassee, Florida; her sisters, Samone Franklin and Hawanna Dumas, both of Tallahassee, Florida, and Valshantaya Cook and Jazzmine Cook, both of Perry, Florida; her beloved grandson, Ali Ahmad Naseeer Waheed; along with extended family, friends, coworkers, and all whose lives were touched by her presence.
Today, those who loved Kawonna will undoubtedly feel that something precious is missing. There will be trips where someone remembers how much she would have enjoyed being there. There will be songs and concerts that bring back memories. There will be family gatherings when her absence is deeply felt.
But there will also be laughter. There will be stories. There will be photographs that bring smiles.
And there will forever be reminders of a woman who knew that life was meant to be lived, loved, shared, and appreciated.
Perhaps Kawonna called herself the luckiest person in the world because she had already discovered what so many spend their lives trying to understand:
Being blessed isn’t having everything you want. It’s recognizing the value of what—and especially who—you already have.
Kawonna recognized her blessings. She loved her family. She enjoyed her journey. She gave from her heart. She made memories. And she lived.
Though her earthly journey has ended, the love she gave remains woven into the lives of her children, grandson, parents, siblings, fiancé, family, and friends.
And now, perhaps those who loved her can say what Kawonna so often understood herself:
We were the lucky ones—because we were blessed to have her.
Some people spend a lifetime searching for happiness, while others discover that life’s greatest treasures are often found in the simplest places—in family, in laughter, in giving, in new experiences, and in making beautiful memories with the people you love.
Kawonna Sherika Dumas understood that kind of happiness.
She considered herself one of the luckiest people in the world. Not because life was always perfect, but because Kawonna recognized her blessings. She appreciated the people God placed in her life, treasured the moments she was given, and understood a lesson that became evident in the way she lived: It is better to give than to receive.
Kawonna was born on November 24, 1983, to Frankye Yvonne King Cook and Charles F. Dumas. From her earliest years, family became an important part of the woman she would become. Her love for those closest to her remained at the center of her life.
She attended Taylor County High School, where she completed her secondary education and continued forward into adulthood with an outgoing spirit, a strong work ethic, and a desire to enjoy everything life had to offer.
Throughout her working years, Kawonna demonstrated versatility and dedication. She worked for McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, and Amazon, and also served in management at Circle K. Wherever she worked, she carried with her the same personality known and loved by family and friends—a woman who knew how to work, how to connect with people, and how to keep moving forward.
But Kawonna understood that life could not be measured by work alone. She believed in living.
She loved to travel and experience new places. She loved concerts and the excitement of hearing music come alive. She enjoyed making memories, laughing, spending time with those she loved, and embracing opportunities to experience something new.
Yet no destination she visited and no concert she attended could compare to what mattered most to Kawonna: her family.
Kawonna was deeply family-oriented. She loved her children, cherished those closest to her, and found joy in simply being connected to the people who made her world complete. Becoming a grandmother added another beautiful dimension to that love, giving her yet another reason to count herself blessed.
She also possessed a giving heart. Kawonna understood that generosity was about more than material things. Sometimes the greatest gifts are your time, your presence, your encouragement, your laughter, and simply showing up for the people you love.
That was part of Kawonna’s gift to this world—she gave of herself.
On Monday, August 10, 2026, Kawonna’s earthly journey came to an end. Though her 42 years seem far too brief to those who loved her, the value of her life cannot be measured by its length alone. It must also be measured by the love she gave, the memories she created, the places she traveled, the laughter she shared, and the family she treasured.
She leaves to cherish her precious memory her father, Charles F. Dumas of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; her mother, Frankye (Jerry) Cook of Quincy, Florida; her devoted fiancé, Christopher Saulsberry; her sons, Kareem Dumas, Michael Saulsberry, and Christian Saulsberry, all of Tallahassee, Florida; her daughters, Triston (Tarik) Waheed and Markayla Williams, both of Tallahassee, Florida; her sisters, Samone Franklin and Hawanna Dumas, both of Tallahassee, Florida, and Valshantaya Cook and Jazzmine Cook, both of Perry, Florida; her beloved grandson, Ali Ahmad Naseeer Waheed; along with extended family, friends, coworkers, and all whose lives were touched by her presence.
Today, those who loved Kawonna will undoubtedly feel that something precious is missing. There will be trips where someone remembers how much she would have enjoyed being there. There will be songs and concerts that bring back memories. There will be family gatherings when her absence is deeply felt.
But there will also be laughter. There will be stories. There will be photographs that bring smiles.
And there will forever be reminders of a woman who knew that life was meant to be lived, loved, shared, and appreciated.
Perhaps Kawonna called herself the luckiest person in the world because she had already discovered what so many spend their lives trying to understand:
Being blessed isn’t having everything you want. It’s recognizing the value of what—and especially who—you already have.
Kawonna recognized her blessings. She loved her family. She enjoyed her journey. She gave from her heart. She made memories. And she lived.
Though her earthly journey has ended, the love she gave remains woven into the lives of her children, grandson, parents, siblings, fiancé, family, and friends.
And now, perhaps those who loved her can say what Kawonna so often understood herself:
We were the lucky ones—because we were blessed to have her.