Skip to main content

Abe Ohanian's Eulogy for Terry

EULOGY GIVEN BY ABE OHANIAN FOR TERRY TENOVE

How did Terry touch your life? What did Terry mean to you? Join me in this reflection on the life of Terry Tenove.

On March 2, 1967 this article appeared in the local newspaper. "Before a highly partisan crowd, Duarte's Hawks captured the B Division Championship in the first Regional Golden State Tournament edging the Pico-Rivera All-Stars in overtime, 30-28, on Terry Tenove's two free throws with three seconds to play." Terry went on to win the Most-Valuable Player Award that evening.

Terry played his heart out that day, but then he always did. He lived his life the same way realizing his maximum possibilities and developing himself to his fullest capacity.

He was an achiever.

He was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout, where he won the Order of the Arrow.

He found a great means of expression through sports.

He played baseball from the 2nd grade on thru Cal Poly and semi-pro ball. From Babe Ruth to Connie Mack Leagues to Duarte High School and to Citrus and Cal Poly he pitched. At Duarte he made All-League both in his Junior and Senior years. In his Senior year he was Most-Valuable Player.

In basketball he was Golden State's first little league "super-star". He went on to make all-league in his junior year at Duarte High School.

Terry played football and was a quarterback and a defensive back, at DHS.

After Duarte, he went to Citrus and Cal Poly where he started out as a civil engineering major; but he found his greatest interest in the area of Agricultural Biology. He had one more year to go before graduation.

But the other side of Terry was his devotion to his fellow man.

The entire Tenove family are involved in community affairs. At Christmas time the family and Terry delivered baskets to the needy. During basketball season he either coached little league or was an official. Whenever Carl and I needed help Terry was always around. He also was an umpire for little league at DYA. He always wanted to ref the 8-10 year old because he loved to watch them play. He asked me once "did I ever play that way?"

Terry was kind and gentle.

He had a love and devotion that he shared with his brothers, and a comradely feeling and respect that so obviously flowed between himself and his parents.

He touched all of us.

We are experiencing today, Terry's loss.

Yes, Terry touched us all.

We grieve in a very personal way for it is a very personal loss.

We grieve not only for ourselves we grieve for Gordon and Rose, for Glen, for Michael for Brian for his grandmother Dovie Belle Wales for his aunts and uncles and his many cousins that are here today.

Take a minute now and look around you. There are many of Terry's friends here today and Terry would have liked that.

When Terry touched our lives he became a part of us. That part of Terry will never leave us--for the spirit and love of Terry will always be with us.

Terry will always be 24.

What did Terry mean to you?

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to the Terry Tenove Memorial Tree Fund. Money will be used to plant trees at Cal Poly and the South Coast Botanical Gardens.

After the grave-side services, the family requests you join them at the home of Mr and Mrs. Vanatter at 1964 Broach Avenue in Duarte.

  No man is an island, entire of itself;
  Everyman is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
  Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind;
  And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
  It tolls for thee.

    John Donne

#

Service delivered for Terry Tenove who passed away August 18th, 1978 at the age of 24. Service held at Rose Hills Hillside Chapel, Tuesday, August 22, 1978.

Abe Ohanian

ABE OHANIAN’S GRAVE-SIDE DEDICATION

In committing this body to its final resting place we do so with deep reverence for that body as the temple during life, of a unique and beloved personality. And we think of the words of Socrates “that no evil can befall a good man either in life or after death.” Here under the wide and open sky Terry Tenove will rest in peace. We dedicate this simple plot, amid these natural surroundings to every beautiful and precious memory associated with him.

We lay this body in the gentle earth which has been the chief supports of man since first he walked beneath the sun. To all human beings, to all living form, the soil has ever provided the sustenance that is the staff of life. May we leave this place in peace and charity.

Amen.

Comments

Scott said…
Abe Ohanian was one of the pillars of the community -- in the very best sense of the word. He was involved, caring, and connected to many. He was a friend of the Tenove family, and from what you can read in his informative and sweet eulogy of Terry, very knowledgable and appreciative both of the unique person that was Terry, and of Terry's dear family.

As Mr. Ohanian related, Terry was a most unique and beloved personality, an all-star, a super star, a most-valuable player (more than once) -- and a most-valuable friend.

Popular posts from this blog

The Steward, By Carol Lynn Pearson

http://www.amazon.com/Beginnings-Beyond-Carol-Lynn-Pearson/dp/1599558602 The Steward ~ a poem by Carol Lynn Pearson, from her book, Beginnings and Beyond Heber looked at his lands And he was pleased. He’d be leaving them, tomorrow, and his hands Hurt with anticipated idleness. But he knew there was no other way When a man is seventy-eight and has to make Two rest stops with a full bucket of milk Between the barn and the kitchen. Condominiums-do they have gardens? He wondered. His son had arranged the place for them in town And he was ready. He sat down On the rock that knew his body Better than the front room chair. Could it really be fifty-five years ago That sitting right there They had talked? His father’s voice had never left him: “Heber, I’m trusting to you The most precious thing I’ve got. I worked hard for this land. You know all about The crickets and the Indians and the drought, And the buckets of sweat it took To make what you see ...

Family History and Temple Work (including, Nauvoo Temple experience)

Family History and Temple Worship Scott L. Vanatter, May 18, 2014, Chantilly Ward #A1. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE As a convert, Nauvoo the city Joseph Smith founded and named in 1839, has always held a special place in my mind and heart. I have been fascinated and inspired by Nauvoo -- the name, its Hebrew meaning, even its sound, its history, and more importantly, the doctrine revealed there -- the ultimate in Mormon theology. The ennobling doctrine that we can be sealed to our loved ones in the Temple as part of God’s whole family in heaven. ##1 Sacred Experience (Nauvoo Temple) We were fortunate to be able to serve as patrons in the Nauvoo Temple the very first week it opened in 2002. I had several Vanatter family names with me so we could do all aspects of temple ordinances, from baptisms for the dead, confirmations, and ordinations, to initiatory, endowment, and sealings -- sealings of spouses, and sealing of children to parents. Actually, it was my mother and one of my sist...

Discoveries in Chiasmus now available at Deseret Book in addition to Amazon.com

Our recent book, Discoveries in Chiasmus: A Pattern in All Things, is now available at Deseret Book in addition to Amazon.com. See links here: http://deseretbook.com/Discoveries-Chiasmus-2nd-Edition-Yvonne-Bent/i/5098976. And here: http://www.amazon.com/Discoveries-Chiasmus-Pattern-Things-Edition/dp/1937735109 A couple of years ago Yvonne Bent invited me, among others, to be one of the speakers at a conference she organized on chiasmus . She and I have subsequently edited the proceedings into this new Second Edition. We added a Bio on each author, an Index, and improved the formatting for ease of reading. "This book is a compilation or anthology of the some of the best and most current research on Chiasmus. Each of these author/presenters includes a powerful and unique perspective comprising the separate chapters of the book. "Chiasmus, once assumed to be only an ancient Hebraic literary pattern, can be shown to provide a pattern in all things. It has been identifie...