Tena Marie Bien

Tena Marie Bien, of Biltmore Lake, lost a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer on Saturday, June 17, 2023. Fortunately, faith in her relationship with our Heavenly Father assures that she will spend eternity peacefully and without the pain and suffering of this temporal world.

Tena was born in St. Louis, Missouri on May 3, 1956, to Kenneth and Blondell Abrams, where she spent a joyful childhood. Her fondest memories were of her summer vacations to Wilmington, NC, where she was surrounded by loving grandparents and a large family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

After graduation from community college in St. Louis, she worked briefly for McDonald-Douglas aircraft before joining Delta Airlines in 1977. The next 32 years were spent as a flight attendant before retiring in 2009. She loved the travel and the many friends that were part of her exciting career.

Tena loved gardening, cooking and entertaining. She found great joy in being surrounded by friends and family in her home shared with her husband Gary. As a part of the Biltmore Lake community for more than 15 years, they shared a unique, loving, and committed relationship. Gary and Tena were best friends.

Tena leaves behind a loving family who will miss her deeply, including her step-daughters, Michelle (Wadley) and Mistie, her son-in-law, Tim Wadley, and a grandson, Nate Wadley, who she adored. Also, she was a special aunt to Byron (Kelli) Militello, Andy (Sarah) Militello, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Linda Kay Abrams Militello, and a brother, Terry Wesley Abrams.

Biltmore Church was a special place for Tena. She loved her pastor, Bruce Frank, and was always proud of being a part of the church’s outreach to the community as a part of its commitment to Christ’s ministry. Also, Tena and Gary supported children through the Compassion International Ministry.

Tena’s memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 22, in the Groce Funeral Home Chapel on Patton Avenue. The service will be conducted by Kelvin Moseley, Pastoral Care, Biltmore Church. A formal visitation will not be held at the funeral home, but the family does invite friends to join them at a reception at the Biltmore Lake Clubhouse, 80 Lake Drive, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, following the service.

Interment will be in Bluebonnet Hills, Colleyville, TX, in July. At that time, there will be a special memorial service for her many friends and relatives that live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.

Her family is grateful for the loving care provided by the Messino Cancer Center staff, Mission Hospital Emergency Department, and the Mission Hospital Oncology floor. Everyone was loving, caring, and incredibly professional. Thank you so much.

Please consider a memorial to the Reach Program at Biltmore Church, 35 Clayton Rd, Arden, NC 28704, and Compassion International, 12290 Voyager Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80921.