Linda Orelia Mhoon Tennyson

Linda Orelia Mhoon Tennyson passed away Wednesday, November 15, at home surrounded by her family. She was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, to Lucy and Cecil Mhoon. After growing up pretty far north, she, her parents, and her four siblings moved pretty far south, traveling by train for three days to get to Texarkana, Texas. Over the next few years, she lived in Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, and New Jersey, settling in Moss Point, Mississippi. There she met and then married Paul Tennyson during one of Mississippi’s worst hurricanes before embarking on a whirlwind, traveling romance and life, expanding their family and living in Mississippi, California, Virginia, South Carolina, Massachusetts, and Florida, finally settling down in East Tennessee.

She began her career in nursing but curtailed those plans to be a stay-at-home mother to three beloved daughters, Elizabeth, Paula, and Angela, until she returned to the work force, supporting different organizations until finding her place and ultimately retiring from the Blount County Juvenile Detention Center, where she was mother to many.

Linda was a force of nature, welcoming to all, charitable, forgiving, and a deeply kind soul. Throughout her entire life, she was extremely active and supportive, touching hundreds of lives and amassing countless friends. She was a Navy wife and a Brownie, Girl Scout, volleyball, band, twirling, and foster mom. She was passionate about hospice, knitting dozens of throws for hospice patients. She and Paul owned eight campers and 3 tents throughout their marriage, traveling every state in the continental U.S., Canada, and somehow managing to keep their marriage intact.

Most recently they split their time between Glendale springs, NC, in the summers, and spending the rest of the year in the town they loved the most, Maryville.

Linda is preceded in death by her parents, Lucy & Cecil Mhoon; her brothers George and John Mhoon, & her sisters Brenda Mace and Deborah Rodriquez.

Linda is survived by a large and extended family that will miss her and may never be able to clean sufficiently enough without her input and guidance: Paul, her husband of 63 years; her daughters and sons-in-law Elizabeth & Jeff Seiber, Paula Tennyson, and Angela & Richard block; her grandchildren Kimberly, Ashley, and Lauren; her great grandchildren Steffan, Tanni, Tennyson and Tayanna; and her great-great grandchild Joseph; her bonus grandchildren Kris and Katie; and is also survived by a disorganized garage that she left clear instructions to be straightened.

Upon Linda’s request, there will no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Blount Memorial Home Health and Hospice.