Lee Anne Mary Tennyson
Lee Anne Mary Tennyson United Church Hospital Chaplain joined her favorite horses Quincy and Jester in greener pastures when she died peacefully in the late evening of March 14 at her home. Just twelve days ago she had been told she had stage four metastatic adenocarcinoma having never smoked a cigarette in her life. Lee was predeceased by her parents Doug and Vivian Ingram, brother in law Murray Barr and niece Christene Muth. She is survived by her life partner of 20 plus years Jennifer Denise Needham, sisters Lynda Tiveron and Louise Barr, nephews James, Russell and Charles plus their families, Nelson Sabine the brother she never had, the Needham family including Sasha, Marisa, Claire and her Circle the Wagons support group.
Lee had two passions in her life: a spiritual journey through chaplaincy and horses. Lee always approached life full bore and rarely feared challenges, in fact sought them out. Whether it was standing beside the bedside of patients living the last hours of their lives, providing the "right" words of comfort or riding the ridges of Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park on trails meant for antelope, Lee was up for the experience with her total self. Lee began her spiritual quest as a postulant with the Sisters of St. Joseph's in Toronto for 10 years from 1964. Lee's quest was reawakened following the death of her cherished Mother in 2000. Lee began working in Regina Hospital Chaplaincy through the Clinical Pastoral Education Program in 2003 and she became the United Church hospital chaplain in 2007. Just last year she became a designated Lay Minister. Lee's ability to provide the right words at the right time never failed her and she remained a rock for many people through grief experiences.
Lee's horse passion really picked up in the 1990's when she volunteered at the Double D Ranch tagging along on many trail rides with Margaret, Nelson and Warren Sabine. Her first horse Jester provided many challenges, pleasures and he became a metaphor for her life. For Lee's 62nd birthday we bought a 1969 converted school bus which became our home on many trail rides.
Lee always enjoyed simple pleasures and was a glutton for more of anything she enjoyed like ice chips and hot showers in her last days or a splash of water on her face from a horse trough on a long trail ride.
In 2004 Lee and Denise started Two Spirit Country Care Home and while Lee pursued her chaplaincy career. Denise provided a home for seniors seeking a supportive later life country environment. More information on Lee's life can be found on a tribute page at http://www.twospiritcountrycarehome.com/
On Saturday March 31, 2012 at 2 pm a service of remembrance for Lee will be
conducted by Rev. Marjorie Kent at St. Andrew's United Church Lumsden.
A trail ride in her honor will happen at a future date in the Big Valley Acres ending with a wiener roast and stories like the time Lee's boot bottoms melted off at a campfire.
Flowers are gratefully declined. Friends wishing to do so may make a donation in Lee's memory to Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region Palliative Care Services 4F-4101 Dewdney Ave., Regina, SK, S4T 1A5 or call 306-766-2674)
Special thanks to pallbearers Nelson Sabine, Dan Dennis, George Grassick and Barry Wasnik for carrying Lee in the pine box that I built to Mary’s horse trailer for delivery to the crematorium. Thank you to Martha Cole for the fabulous art work.
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