Nile Frederick Tenpenny, 92, of Murfreesboro, died Oct. 25, 2019, following an extended illness. He was born Feb. 21, 1927, in Cannon County, TN, to Vestal and Ocee Vance Tenpenny.
Visitation with the family will be 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, at Woodfin Memorial Chapel, with burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery. Pastors Drew Shelley and Krislyn Durham will officiate. Grandsons and nephews will serve as pallbearers.
He is survived by his children: Jenny Tenpenny Crouch, Lee Pate Tenpenny and wife Marilyn, and Patricia Shea Tenpenny, all of Murfreesboro; grandchildren: Rachel Tenpenny Sartain of St. Petersburg, FL, Yana Elizabeth Crouch, Anastasia Kathleen Crouch, Michael Alexander Crouch, Emma Rhea Tenpenny and Elliott Robert Tenpenny, all of Murfreesboro; great grandchild Audrey Sartain of St. Petersburg, FL; stepchildren by his second wife: Celia Toombs, Joan McDaniel, Donna Lamping and Pam Guarino; stepchildren by his third wife: Patricia Faye Bryson and Donnie Reed; brothers, JT Tenpenny of Nashville, Raymond Tenpenny of Gilmer, TX, Don Tenpenny of Murfreesboro; sister Etta Fry-Apel of Ashland, VA; several step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren.
He is predeceased by his parents, mother of his children Emma Pate Tenpenny, son Nile Frederick Tenpenny Jr. (Freddie); second wife Marie McDaniel Tenpenny, third wife Louise Reed Tenpenny; brothers: James Owen Tenpenny, Thomas Tenpenny; sisters, Leoma Mullinax, Velma Morris, and Elora Spann.
Mr. Tenpenny attended grade school in Cannon County and Kittrell High School in Rutherford County. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served in World War II. After his service, he worked for the VA in Murfreesboro for a short time before joining the crew at Keller Gas Company, one of the first propane gas distributors in Murfreesboro. After a few years with Keller, he and three others joined together to create Friendly Four Gas Co. where he developed skills in the then evolving central heating and air conditioning business. He attended a program at Tennessee Technology College in Cookeville to become the first certified heating and air conditioning technician in Murfreesboro. After that business sold, he went into business for himself which evolved into Tenpenny Heating and Air Conditioning. His business success enabled him to provide well for his family, travel the world and most of the United States.
He was a member of First United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association.
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