William Jackson Tennant, Jr.

William “Bill” Jackson Tennant, Jr., 73, of 15 Tennant Lane, Asheville, died Friday, January 5, 2007, following a long illness. A son of the late William Jackson Tennant, Sr. and Frances Mills Tennant, he was retired from the US Postal Service. He was a member/past president of the National Association of Letter Carriers branch #248; member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and he worked and coordinated with the letter carriers for mailing with the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. Mr. Tennant was a member/past president of the Men’s Garden Club of Asheville; a past member of the original Western Carolina Orchid Club and a member of the America Herocallis (daylillies) Society. A past president of the Haw Creek and Reynolds PTA, he coached several of his children’s sports teams and was past president of the East Asheville Recreation Club. He served on the parish council of St. Lawrence Catholic Church where he also taught Sunday School. He was an active member of St. Joan of Arc parish, Caring Hearts AIDS Ministry and one of the founders of St. Vincent DePaul AIDS Ministry. He also worked with Hospice and Loving Food Resources. Survivors include his wife, Pauline M. Tennant; children, Fred Tennant and wife Donna, Peter Tennant and wife Dori, Belinda Doyle and husband Dan, Mary Catherine Tennant and husband Michael Tennant, Angela Tennant and husband Bruce Schwartz; grandchildren, Jefery, Cerisa, Alex and Daniel. A memorial mass will be concelebrated by Rev. Fr. John M. Pagel and Rev. Fr. C. Morris Boyd at 11:00 am Monday at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church followed by a reception. Memorials may be made to Caring Hearts AIDS Ministry, c/o St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 919 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806; St. Vincent DePaul AIDS Ministry c/o John Barry, 36 Alclare Drive, Asheville, NC 28804; Men’s Garden Club of Asheville, PO Box 633, Asheville, NC 28802 or St. Joan of Arc Building Fund, 919 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806.