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Madge Coline Tenuta
Former Soldotna resident Madge Coline Tenuta died Monday, Dec. 1, 2003, of
natural causes in Atlanta, Ga. She was 86.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 20, at the First Baptist Church in Ballinger, Texas. Interment
will be in the Santa Barbara Cemetery in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Jan. 3.
Mrs. Tenuta was born Aug. 14, 1917, in
Knoxville, Iowa, to Ben and Alma Craig. She was raised as a farm girl and was
proud of her heritage. When she met Mills Tenuta at a dance in the late 1940s,
it was love at first sight, and they were married in Acapulco, Mexico, soon
after. They were remarried in Tucson, Ariz., on Nov. 21, 1950.
Mr. and Mrs. Tenuta came to Alaska in 1982 to
live with her eldest daughter, Marti Steckel. Shortly after arriving, Mr. Tenuta
died and Mrs. Tenuta moved in with her daughter, Marti, her husband, John, and
their two children.
She began to volunteer at Soldotna Elementary
School and was hired as a full-time aide and tutor, known as "Grandma" to the
kids. Her office was always filled with children and staff. She was active in
organizing events for Christmas and was recognized by the school district as
Volunteer of the Year.
She also was active in the area Girl Scouts of
America program and was assistant leader for many years. In the summer, Mrs.
Tenuta was the head cook and bottle-washer of the Casa Norte Bed and Breakfast,
which was owned by her daughter and son-in-law.
After the death of her daughter, Marti, in
1996, Mrs. Tenuta moved to Ballinger to be closer to her other children. She
joined the First Baptist Church and was a member of the Ballinger Garden Club.
"She was an energetic ray of sunshine and will
be remembered for her dedication to her family and her positive contribution to
all she met," her family said.
Mrs. Tenuta was preceded in death by her
husband, Mills Tenuta, and daughter, Marti Steckel.
She is survived by her son, Robert Junkins, and
his wife, Susie, of Melbourne, Fla.; daughters, Tonni Tenuta, of Tempe, Ariz.,
and Jodie Boggess and her husband, Paul, of Ballinger; son-in-law, John Steckel,
and his wife, Jacquie, of Kenai; grandchildren, Tonya Hall and her husband,
Travis, Travis Boggs and his wife, Jen, Angela Junkins, Sienna Steckel,
Christina Velardo and Michael Velardo; and great-grandchildren, Austin, Jacob
and Tatiana Hall.
Condolences may be sent to Jodie Boggess at
(address removed).
Source: Peninsula Clarion,
December 12, 2003
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