Ruth Gadd Tennent

Published 9:00 am Tuesday, January 26, 2016

A memorial service for Ruth Gadd Tennent, 86, Thomasville, will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, at the Allen and Allen Funeral Home Chapel, 110 W. Hansell St., Thomasville. The Rev. Tim Filston of the First Presbyterian Church to officiate. 

Ruth Tennent passed away on Jan. 24, 2016, at the Langdale Hospice House in Valdosta.

Known as Rudy to her friends, she was the fourth child of Charles Edward and Ruth Marie Gillis Gadd, born Jan. 25, 1929, in Indiana, Pa. After graduating from Seton Hill College, Rudy completed her internship in Dietary Science at Vanderbilt University in 1950. While in school at Vandy, she met her husband of 45 years, Henry Densler Tennent. After teaching at Bass High School for several years, the couple moved to Griffin, Ga., in 1965, where they raised their four children as active members of the First Presbyterian Church of Griffin until Henry’s death in 1997. Rudy moved to Thomasville, Ga., in 1999, where she enjoyed playing bridge and painting. 

In addition to her parents, Rudy was preceded in death by her siblings, Robert Clarke Gadd, Mary Elizabeth Gadd Matz, and Charles Edward Gadd Jr.; her husband, Henry Densler Tennent; and two sons-in-law, Norman Ray Bankston and Neil Andress Bradford. 

She is survived by her children, Henry Alston Tennent III (Kay), Elizabeth Gadd Tennent Campbell (Thomas), Ruth Charles Tennent Bankston, and Laurie Lee Tennent Bradford; her grandchildren, Kayce Gibson Johnson (Trent), Andrew Lawrence Gibson, Walter Edward Campbell (Nicole), William Tennent Campbell (Cecily), Brittany Bankston Williams (Eric), Harry Alston Bankston, Laurie McGee Bankston, Norman Henry Bankston; and one great-grandchild, Kaleb Trent Johnson. 

The family will receive friends after the service at Allen and Allen.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Langdale Hospice House, 2263 Pineview Drive, Valdosta, GA, 31602; First Presbyterian Church of Griffin, 1349 Macon Road, Griffin, GA 30224; or the First Presbyterian Church of Thomasville, 225 E. Jackson St., Thomasville, GA 31792. 

Guests may sign the online register at www.allenfh.com. — Allen and Allen Funeral Home