Tena was born in Pope, Mississippi on July 14, 1930 as the only child of Ernest and Faye Nelson. She attended Pope School, and during World War II her family moved to Mobile, Alabama where her parents worked at Brookley Field assisting in the War effort. Postwar, the family returned to Memphis where she attended Southside High School. She met and married Edward Grinder when he returned to Memphis from the Navy in 1947.
Tena loved to dance with Ed on Saturday nights and liked playing bridge with friends. She detested yard work, which she would readily tell anyone, but she took great pride in keeping an immaculate home. Tena enjoyed cooking for family and friends and always prepared great feasts for family gatherings. Her cornbread dressing remains the gold standard for family Thanksgiving dinners.
Tena also spent many happy weekends in Hot Springs, Arkansas and Pickwick Lake where she owned homes.
She had 70 wonderful years of marriage with Ed until his death in 2017. Tena supported Ed as he built the family construction business, Grinder Taber & Grinder, over five decades. She was a life-long Baptist and attended Georgian Hills Baptist Church.
Tena is survived by her brother-in-law, Don Grinder, her sons, Dan (Susan) Grinder and Fred (Brenda) Grinder, her daughter Vickie Rhudy, four grandsons, Danny (Renee) Grinder II, Brett (Megan) Grinder, Justin (Cara) Grinder, Neal (Brittany) Rhudy and eight great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by three grandsons, David Grinder, Josh Grinder and Jacob Rhudy.
The family extends very special thanks to Ms. Paulette Stancil for her faithful and loving care of Tena during her last years.
Services will be held at Memphis Funeral Home, 3700 N. Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN 38133 with a visitation Monday March 22 at 9 a.m. and funeral service at 10 a.m. followed by burial.
The family requests that any donations in her memory be made to MIFA or Church Health.
