Nancy A. Tennant

Nancy A. Tennant, age 70, of Glendive, passed away on Monday, December 20, 2004 at her home in Glendive. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at the Chapel of the Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home in Glendive with Celebrant Sandy Silha. Interment will be in the Dawson County Cemetery in Glendive. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive is entrusted with arrangements. Nancy was born on March 11, 1934 in Glendive, Montana, the daughter of James and Maude (Stone) Forberg. She was raised and educated in Glendive and attended Dawson County High School. Nancy and Lee Tennant were united in marriage in November of 1954 in Miles City. Following their marriage, Lee and Nancy lived in several different places before settling down in Glendive in 1964. Nancy started working at the Glendive Community Hospital as a nurses' aide and then she managed the housekeeping and laundry department. She later was added the responsibility of material and supplies manager. Nancy retired from the Glendive Medical Center in 1999. Lee preceded her in death in March of 2002. Nancy enjoyed fishing, hunting for antiques and playing cards. She loved spending time with her grandchildren. Survivors include his two sons, David Tennant and his wife Paula of Miles City and John Tennant and his wife Laurie of El Dorado Hills, California; her brother, David Forberg and his wife Ruth of Glendive; five grandchildren, Kyle, Tara, Aubrey, Megan and Trevor; one great grandson, Cory. Eulogy by Celebrant Sandy Silha: Counting perch kiss her fingers; watching sons win wrestling titles; hunting antiques, driftwood, and rocks; cheering grandkids in soccer; listening to and caring for family; Nancy Tennant was a presence in the lives of those who knew her. Let us remember and honor her today. Nancy Forberg was born on March 11, 1934, in Glendive, the elder of two children of James and Maude Forberg. Nancy, her parents and her brother David, lived near the river and Nancy loved sledding down the hill near there and ice skating. Her father would build skis for the kids and the hill would become a short ski slope. Nancy was very close to her brother, David, and would look out for him. When David first started talking, he couldn’t say Nancy so he called his sister “Heart”. He used this name well into grade school. Looking back, perhaps he had it right the first time. Nancy’s first job was at the local theater. Movies at that time were 9 cents. She loved that job, seeing all the people and especially seeing all the movies, free. Nancy graduated from Dawson County High School in 1952. She left Glendive and went to Kellogg, Idaho. Nancy worked as a waitress at the Miner’s Hat Café, somewhat of an institution in Kellogg. Nancy returned to the Glendive area and began dating Lee Tennant. Lee was a jockey at the time and Nancy followed him on the race circuit. Lee and Nancy were married in Miles City in November, 1954. After moving around for several years, they settled in Glendive in 1964. Nancy and Lee had two sons, David and John. When the boys became involved in football and wrestling, Nancy became their biggest fan and was always there to watch and cheer. And later as a grandmother, when she would visit John and Laurie in California, she would watch and cheer her grandchildren in soccer. She didn’t know much about soccer but with three avid players in the family, she learned. Nancy loved spending time with her grandchildren and seeing them grow up. Nancy spent many years working at Glendive Medical Center, starting as a nurse’s aide, going to managing housekeeping and laundry and finally moving to the huge responsibility of being the materials and supply manager. She loved her job. She wasn’t ready to retire in 1999, but did, as Lee was experiencing health problems and she wanted to care for him. She lost Lee in 2002. Nancy was good at caring for people and others in the family came to depend on her. Nancy enjoyed hunting for antiques, fishing and playing cards. John recalls family fishing trips and it was Nancy who would catch the most fish. You could change lures a dozen times and Nancy would catch all her fish on one lure. John took his mother deep sea dishing in California on one of her visits. He doesn’t remember how many fish she caught, just that the weather didn’t cooperate and as they were going out to fish, other boats were coming in. Nancy truly loved the outdoors. For her and Lee, brother David and his wife Ruth, camping and fishing was a favorite activity. Nancy and Ruth enjoyed going on long walks and finding all kinds of “good stuff” like driftwood and unusual rocks that Ruth could use to create things. Lee and David would cringe at all the “good stuff” they got to haul home. Pick-up’s full. One of Ruth’s best memories is at the end of one such walk. After returning to camp, they sat at the back of the boats and “pigged out” on Nancy’s sugar cookies and watched schools of perch swimming in the water. Nancy and Ruth began feeding the perch sugar cookies and then decided they didn’t want to share.. They began to put their fingers in the water and the perch would come up and as Ruth describes it, “kiss their fingers.” Laughing and giggling like young girls, they had a contest to see who could get the most fish kisses. What a bright, sunny memory of friendship shared. Ruth and David also tell of playing pinochle with Nancy and Lee. It was guys against the girls. Except the guys had the girls convinced that they were winning by cheating. The girls were so busy trying to figure out the guy’s signals, they didn’t pay attention to the cards. The girls never won, but they did have a good time arguing and laughing. In April, Nancy learned she had lung cancer. It was a hard battle. Her friend and neighbor, Bonnie Roney, put Nancy on the prayer chain at her church. As John was back and forth over these past months, Bonnie would visit with him and tell John Nancy had moved up on the chain. Recently, Bonnie told John that Nancy was number one on the chain. On Monday, December 20, 2004, Nancy died at home. John went over to Bonnie’s later that day to tell her that Nancy had died. Bonnie confided to John that her birthday was that same day and she had prayed that Nancy would go on her birthday. Bonnie wanted to celebrate the end of Nancy’s suffering and rejoice in her going to heaven. John was greatly touched by such friendship. One of the things that comes to John’s mind when remembers his mother, is that he never wanted to disappoint her. Well John, it can be safely said by everyone here, that you did not disappoint your mother. These past months, weeks, and days, you gave your mother the greatest gifts a son can give a parent, your time, your care, your love. Nancy had great faith. While she was ill, Ruth spent time reading Bible passages to Nancy. I would like to share Nancy’s favorite from John, chapter 14, verse 1-4. “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself: that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” The family of Nancy would like to light a candle in memory of Nancy. The light of the flame has always been symbolic to the human world; the eternal flame stands for the remembrance of those gone before; the light of the candle has come to represent rebirth and renewal. Let this light signify the ever-present love and memory of Nancy Tennant, which will always live on in our hearts. There will be a hole in our lives because Nancy is gone, but we have found hope and healing in sharing. Together we share and divide our pain. As we light this candle in remembrance of Nancy Tennant, we do so as those who care, who share and who remember. Nancy’s daughter-in-law, Laurie Tennant, will come forward to light the candle. Take this time to remember Nancy. Celebrant: Reading –“The Best” God saw you were getting tired. And a cure was not to be. So He put His arms around you and whispered, “Come to Me.” With tearful eyes we watched you, And saw you pass away. Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best. Celebrant: Reading, “Her Journey’s Just Begun” by E. Brenneman Don’t think of her as gone away, Her journey’s just begun, Life holds so many facets, This earth is only one. Just think of her as resting from the sorrows and the tears, in a place of warmth and comfort, where there are no days and years. Think how she must be wishing, that we could know today, how nothing but our sadness can really pass away. And think of her as living, in the hearts of those she touched…For nothing loved is ever lost, and she was loved so much. Celebrant: Closing – Soul and Handprint ceremony We are all here today linked together by a single thread, which can be easily broken. But today links our hearts together as a time to share, a time to cry, a time to remember, and a time to sigh. No time is greater than now to rely on the friendships that lead us together in a saddened good-bye to Nancy. Just as each fingerprint is unique, with no two the same, it is the same for the impact that our lives have on others. Each of us has a unique soul and every time we come into contact with others, we leave our soul print. Now we will leave our fingerprints upon this casket to remain, blend together, and forever signify the imprint and soul print Nancy’s life has made upon us. Nancy’s soul print upon our life has touched us each in a different and unique way, which will remain as we carry memories of Nancy in our hearts. Our funeral director will guide each of you to place your handprint on Nancy’s casket as you exit this life tribute service for Nancy Tennant. Your handprint is in honor of Nancy’s life and to the belief that “ a life shared is a life is never to be forgotten.”

Nancy A. Tennant

March 11, 1934 - December 22, 2004

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Nancy A. Tennant

March 11, 1934 - December 22, 2004

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

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365 Days of Grief Support