Mr. Tenney

Anyone connected to Tenney in any way over the years knew Al Manthie. I might go so far as to say he was a legend in his own time. A recent email from Al’s granddaughter (Elaine’s daughter), Sherry, sparked thoughts of Al’s significance to the little village of Tenney. I did not know Al personally, though I could very well have been introduced to him as a child or teenager at a Tenney reunion or a visit somewhere along the way. But I do know that Al was probably singularly responsible for keeping Tenney going as long as it did. Al spent his whole life in the little town that he loved, and took exceedingly good care of it. He served as the Village Clerk for decades, and long after most had left or given up on Tenney, Al lovingly served as its primary caretaker. Whether it was mowing lawns (the entire town in later years), preparing the Town Hall for the Friday night dance, keeping the town records, or sprucing up the Social Hall, Al's presence was constant and comforting.

In the early years, one of Al’s jobs was to take care of the Fire Hall. Once, when he was in the hospital, Al transferred this important responsibility to his son Duane, a young teenager at the time. To make a long story short, Duane managed to start the Fire Hall on fire. Al was apparently not a happy camper, but it certainly provides a good chuckle for us many decades later.

Al was Postmaster of Tenney long ago, then had the rural mail route until he retired in 1972, a job done several years prior by my great grandfather, John Polifka. Sherry shared the story of how “the two Als” (Al Manthie and Al Hungerford) dismantled the Town Hall in the 80s when the building's roof had deterioriated beyond their ability to repair it. They used some of the lumber to put an entry addition onto the Social Hall, complete with two toilets. How proud they must have been to be able to provide this modern amenity to one of Tenney’s primary social gathering places! The photo above was taken at that very Social Hall on the occasion of Al’s 80th birthday celebration.

Many of you will undoubtedly remember that Al Manthie was the ever-present assistant at the funerals held in Tenney for many years. He assisted the funeral home in preparing the church, ushering people, and directing human and motorized traffic to make sure the occasion ran smoothly. Granddaughter Sherry added that, if the person could not afford the grave digger, Al would do it himself. Once, when Al and Lou Ida made a trip to South Sioux City, Nebraska, to visit daughter Elaine and family, word was received of the death of Leonard Hardie, Sr. They had hardly had a chance to visit, when Al immediately turned around and headed back to Tenney to take care of what he felt were his obligations to his friend and to his little town. Al himself is gone now. I have to believe that, at the time of his passing, more than a few people thought to themselves, "What do we do now?"

Al Manthie holds a special place in the hearts of so many folks who lived in or loved Tenney.