George Tener Obituary

George W. "Bill" Tener Beckley, WV - George W. (Bill) Tener, age 95, of Beckley, WV, died Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the residence of his son, Michael W Tener. He was born in Springfield, OH, to the late Eliza Frances and Leroy Jacob Tener of Russells Point, OH. Bill graduated High School in 1940 from Springfield Senior working at JC Penney until after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and reported for duty December 26, 1941. He served his years in China Burma India with the 10th Air Wing Transport Division. He was in Operations and his duties included scheduling flights, filling the planes with manpower and coordinating what supplies were to be dropped in southern China. He received a Bronze Star and several citations, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant. He was honorably discharged October 16, 1945. A few months before his discharge, he went home on leave, where Bill's father set him up on a blind date with Rita M. Freeman. He knew she was the love of his life so they married on November 29, 1945, celebrating 68 years together. Bill was very active in all aspects of his life, beginning as an elevator operator, working through the ranks to become a District Manager with the JC Penney Co., relocating often with each promotion. After 35 + years, he retired, settling at Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms, SC, where he became the unofficial mayor of Oyster Row. He served as Santa Clause for 29 years with Friends of Santa Clause and Camp Merry Times (Google: George William Tener, Santa Memories). Bill became Santa for multitudes of children facing cancer and giving gifts to the homeless of Charleston, SC, for over 30 years. He always said it was the most rewarding thing he had ever done. He was involved in many organizations including coaching little league baseball, establishing a Men's Golf Association at Wild Dunes, attending Charleston River Dogs games, who honored him on his 86th birthday by allowing him to throw out the first pitch. He was a member of Stella Maris Catholic Church of Sullivan's Island and he relocated once while living in the Charleston, SC, area to Sea Side Farms in Mt Pleasant. Residing there until the death of his wife, Rita, on May 6, 2014, he moved to Beckley, WV to live with their son, Michael and his wife, Katrina. The first few months after his relocation, he and his son were on the go, taking day trips to learn and see his new home in Beckley and surrounding areas. He was amazed by its beauty and peacefulness. He was an avid WV Miners Baseball fan, sharing season tickets every summer with his son. He threw out the first pitch on Military Service Day in 2015. He was for many years a Chicago Cubs fans and was elated he got to see the Cubs win the series. He was an advisory member of the RCREC. In the fall of 2015, he had some serious health issues that attacked him, his ability to run the roads was diminished and his health steadily declined until his death. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rita; his brothers, Charles "Chuck" and Joe; his sisters, Evelyn Knotts, Ida Mae Brammer and Dorothy Funk. He was survived by his son, Michael W. Tener, Sr. and wife, Katrina, of Beckley, WV; two grandchildren, Michael W. Tener, II, of Beckley, WV, and Melissa D. Buttrick and husband, Davie, of Oak Hill WV; two great-grandchildren, Miranda Shea Acord of Oak Hill, WV and Robert "Bo" (Dee) Acord of Oak Hill WV; a surrogate daughter, Barbara Van Thulener Denton and his surrogate grandchildren, Julie Van Thulener Burt (Matt) of Tega Cay, SC, and great-grandchildren, Jackson, Reagan and Olivia and TJ Van Thulener (Holly) of Mt. Pleasant SC and great-grandchildren, Maggie and Ted. A memorial service will be held at Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home in Beckley on Sunday, January 28, 2018, at 4 p.m. with Rev. Mr. Don Wise officiating. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Brian's Safe House of Beckley, WV, or Camp Rise Above, 2385 Cross Timbers Drive, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464. Private online condolences and other expressions of sympathy may be directed to the family via our guestbook at www.roseandquesenberry.net. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, 1901 South Kanawha Street, Beckley, WV. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston