Tom O. Tenney ’51

Tom O. Tenney ’51, described by many as the personification of a successful, self-made salesman, died on July 8 at his home in Wabasha, Minnesota. He is survived by his wife, Linda, three children, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Tom was a member of Kappa Sigma at Dartmouth. He transferred to Stetson University, from which he graduated with a degree in biology in 1952. He later earned a master’s in microbiology from the University of Buffalo and attended medical school for one year. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954. Tom got his start in sales with the Upjohn Co. Later he joined Encyclopedia Britannica’s great books program, where he became the company’s top salesman in the United States. Then, at Sherwood Medical, where he was a product manager, he continued to set sales records. The qualities that led to these successes helped to make Tom a major contributor to the quality of life in his long-time hometown. He was a city councilman for 13 years and a member of Wabasha’s historic preservation commission. He played a key role in founding the National Eagle Center, a world-class interpretive center and outdoor observation site on the banks of the Mississippi River in Wabasha.