The Funeral Service for Reverend Paul A. Tennant of Montezuma, Georgia will be held on Monday, November 22, 2021 at noon at Andersonville National Cemetery. Due to COVID-19 concerns, we ask that you MASK UP and continue to practice social distancing for your protection and for the protection of others.
Paul Anthony Tennant was born August 12, 1953, in Atlanta, Georgia, where he and his three siblings were raised by their mother, the late Gladys Cosby Tennant and father, the late James Sims Tennant, Sr. One brother, James Sims Tennant, Jr. and one sister, Delores Tennant Creecy preceded him in death within the last three years.
At an early age, Paul was baptized and became a member of the family church, Zion Hill Baptist Church, in Atlanta, Georgia, under the pastorate of the late Rev. L.M. Terrell. He was educated in the Atlanta Public School System and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1971 where he excelled to the leadership position of Battalion Commander of the R.O.T.C. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia before entering the U.S. Army in 1972. He attended the U.S. Army Intelligence School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where he received training as a Military Intelligence Coordinator. He was assigned to the Army Intelligence Command Headquarters, at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He served as a Classified Courier and was honorably discharged in 1975. Upon his discharge from service, he enrolled in Atlanta Junior College and then on to Georgia State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and did further graduate studies in Philosophy. While attending Atlanta Junior College, Paul met and married Clarisse Cheney. This union was blessed with three lovely and supportive children: Oronde’, Diarra and Xavia.
Paul was ordained and licensed to preach in 1977 by the late Rev. Larry H. Williams, pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church where he also served as assistant pastor for several years. In 2014, he enrolled in Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary, where he studied Systematic Theology and the academic and historical aspects of our faith.
Paul married the love of his life, Willie Ruth Green on December 17, 2015. They were members of Magnolia Baptist Church in Montezuma, under the renowned pastorate of Rev. Hosie Waters. Paul taught the Adult Sunday School class at Magnolia. He was also a prolific theological writer of homiletics and hermeneutics, and a powerful exegete, orator and learned theologian. He was an associate pastor under Rev. Hosie Waters, and a very faithful and loyal friend of the Very Rev. Raymond Ford.
Paul, who had a passion for wearing high-end cowboy boots, also had a presence and deep bass voice that commanded the attention of any room he entered. Many would say that a good time and thought-provoking conversations were always guaranteed by Paul! Paul and his wife, Willie Ruth, shared their ministry as ambassadors for Christ, forever, until our Lord’s re-appearing. After a very short illness, in the very early morning hours of Wednesday, November 17, 2021, Paul quietly departed his earthly family for eternal life.
Paul is survived by his wife, Mrs. Wille Ruth Green-Tennant, Montezuma, GA; two sons: Oronde’ K. Tennant, New York, NY and Diarra I. Tennant, East Point, GA; one daughter, Xavia Tennant Reid, Stone Mountain, GA; two step-daughters, Tanika (DeMario) Cochran, Warner Robins, GA and Rashida (Clayton) Jenkins, Montezuma, GA; one brother, Forrest L. Tennant, Decatur, GA; sisters-in-law: Alberta E. Tennant, Sophia Tennant, Vencie Larry and Gladys Simpson; brothers-in-law: Tommy Strong and Sammy Strong; three grandchildren: Eva M. Reid, Nicholas D. Reid, and Titan A. Reid, Stone Mountain, GA; five step-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.
To view this service live or at a later date, click on the link below, or watch it on our Facebook page.
To view a copy of the complete program, click on the file below
Paul Tennant Program.pdf