Wasco-Statewide County OR Archives Obituaries.....Tenneson, Vernon Benjamin May 16, 2005 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com April 8, 2006, 2:09 am The Dalles Chronicle, May 17, 2005 Longtime The Dalles city engineer Vernon Benjamin Tenneson, 85, of The Dalles died Monday, May 16. He was born July 6, 1918 in Skagit Valley, Wash., the youngest of three sons to Norwegian immigrants Hans and Nicolena (Tkjerholt) Tenneson. Following graduation from Sedro Woolley High School in 1935, he attended Washington State College (now Washington State University) where he was a member of Tau Beta Phi fraternity and received his degree in civil engineering in 1940. Immediately following graduation, he engineered construction of power lines, which brought him to rural eastern Oregon and Washington during World War II. In 1952, he formed a partnership with Homer Wall Engineering, with early projects including the layout of the bridge piers for The Dalles Bridge and the Umatilla Bridge crossings of the Columbia River, and contract surveys for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on The Dalles Dam project. In 1957, Tenneson & Associates undertook the job as city engineers for the city of The Dalles, with Tenneson as the designated city engineer. The partnership, incorporated in 1959 as Tenneson Engineering Corporation. In 1970, the corporation acquired the old Catholic church parish building at 409 Lincoln St., the current office location. Tenneson continued as city engineer under contract with Tenneson Engineering until March 1981, when he retired to pursue full-time operation as a cherry orchardist in the Mill Creek Valley. He remained active on the board of directors of Tenneson Engineering Corporation for a number of years after his retirement as city engineer, only recently leaving that position to younger engineers in the firm. During his 24-year tenure as city engineer, the city completed public works projects of street, sidewalk, water and sewer programs, established and expanded the storm water collection system for the city, as well as specialized parks projects including the tennis courts and similar works. Tenneson also served as city planning director and city building inspector during this period. He was a longtime member of the Original Wasco County Courthouse committee. As a Kiwanian for more than 40 years, he was a past president and in 2001 was named a member of the George F. Hixson Fellowship in recognition of his contribution to the worldwide service projects of Kiwanis International. His other affiliations include lifetime member of The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks, Masonic Lodge, the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and the Zion Lutheran Church board. He was also a Western Little League baseball coach and a Kiwanis Kids wrestling coach. He was a lifelong sportsman who enjoyed fishing in Canada, clamming at The Hytte, bird hunting and city league softball. He also enjoyed farming cherries, growing potatoes, planting pine trees and watching Washington State University sports events as a loyal Cougar alumni fan for over 60 years. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Dorothy Eleanor Anderson Tenneson, The Dalles; children and their spouses Jamie Leigh and Dan Crouse, The Dalles; Scott and Jewell Tenneson, The Dalles; Bill and Joni Tenneson, The Dalles; Ann Elisa and Mike Ware, Sedro Woolley, Wash.; grandchildren Hailey and Andrew Tenneson, Ben and Ted Ware, and Stephanie and Jeff Peterson; extended family members Dan Mogan, Palestine, Texas; Seija Halva, Cambridge, MS; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Viewing visitation is Friday, May 20, from 2-7 p.m. and Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home. Services will be held Saturday, May 21, at 1 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements. Remembrances may be made to a charity of choice. Additional Comments: Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon, Dan Spatz, Editor (e-mail dated 3/7/2006). File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/wasco/obits/t/tenneson1050gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb