The Tener Family

This is a journal kept by Dennis Holmes and friends concerning the Tener Family.
The links below will take you to the "Tener Blue Book" - "TENER: A History of the Family in France, Ireland and America"; and to a Finding Aid.


NEW! Tener Eckelberry: A Life
NEW! The Art of Renee Duke, Tener Eckelberry's First Wife
The Tener Book Site
The Tener Book
Finding Aid
Tener Family Photos
Previous Updates

Friday, March 31, 2006

Barbara Strong, NEE TENER

In February 2006 I made some new contacts with descendants of the Isaac William Tener line - TBB page 72. From those recent contacts, I would like to advise you - those of you who have the Blue Book, or who keep up with such things - that there is one error on page 72.

The Thomas E. Tener, b. 1904, is not a son of Robert E. Tener Jr. More accurately, Thomas is the son of Hugh Thomas Tener and his first wife - Mabel Wilson Tener.

Not moted in the TBB, Thomas E. Tener Sr. had two children - this posting will address his daughter Barbara. One sad note - as soon as we discover her, we learn that she is deceased. But, I did receive permission from her husband to post on this web site an eulogy that was written for Barbara - and that follows:

EULOGY FOR BARBARA ELLEN TENER STRONG


Barbara was born in Stockton, California on July 10, 1932 to Thomas and Nellie Cline Tener of Manteca. Her father was an accountant for the Ford Agency there.

Thereafter they lived briefly in various Valley towns as Tom changed positions during the Great Depression. Then about 1940 the family moved to Alameda. While there Barbara graduated from Alameda High School, where she served as Editor of the Yearbook and played the violin in the orchestra.

At the age of seventeen she entered the University of California at Berkeley where she majored in English and worked on the school newspaper. In her Junior year she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa for outstanding scholastic achievement. In 1954 she graduated from Cal with Summa Cum Laude honors.

She met her future husband, James (also a Cal student) when her roommate asked Barbara to substitute for her on a date. They shared an interest in classical music and later became engaged.

Barbara took further courses at Berkeley in order to obtain her teaching credential while James preceded her to Bakersfield to start his lifetime career with Southern Pacific.

James and Barbara were married on June 19, 1954 at Newman Hall at Cal, where both had taken their instruction to join the Catholic Church.

While living in Bakersfield during 1955 and 1956, Barbara taught English at East Bakersfield High School. The Principal often gave her the toughest kids because she handled them so well.

In 1957 the couple moved to an SP construction Camp on Promontory Point in Utah. Barbara taught all courses in the multi-grade school there.

Their next residence was in San Mateo during 1959 through 1962, where they bought the first of the six houses they would own for the outrageous price of $13,000.

Barbara taught English at Mills High School in Millibrae until the couple adopted two children, Stephen and Anne, in 1961. Then it was back to Bakersfield for two years, followed by San Mateo for two years.

Then, it was back to Bakersfield for 13 years, starting in 1966. Barbara taught Engish there at both Bakersfield and East High Schools until their firstborn, Kevin, arrived in 1970. When Kevin entered grade school, Barbara became active in the PTA and Christian Doctrine teaching.

In 1980 when James was transferred to SP’s General Office in San Francisco Barbara, James and Kevin moved into their last home Martinez. They have lived there for 20 years.

Here Barbara joined and became active in the American Association of University Women, PTA, Catholic Charities, Valley Stichers, Martinez Swim Club, Martinez Yacht Club, Friends of the Martinez Library, and the Martinez Senior Center.

In her last four years James and Barbara traveled abroad: once to Ireland to see her Hugenot ancestors' homeland, and later to Panama to see the Canal. They also attended Elderhostels in pursuit of Barbara’s lifelong love of learning.

On January 2, 2001 Barbara passed away quietly at home in familiar surroundings, having received wonderful care under Kaiser Hospice.

She was an unusual, wonderful, erudite, studious, and complex woman. She was noted for her quick wit and her gourmet cooking. Most people who met her, and particularly those who ate with her, remember her well. She read books voraciously, belonging to as many as four book clubs at one time. She was still cutting out recipes from the newspapers up to two weeks before her demise.
She will be remembered as a faithful wife, a loving Mother, a stellar Student, a patient Teacher, an avid Reader, Seamstress and Gardener, and a truly talented Cook.

Barbara is gone from us now, but she will be long remembered. God Bless and Rest Her Soul.



01/10/01
JCS