Linda Tennis passed away on the morning of July 17, 2025 with Keith by her side. Linda was life partner with Keith Tennis, mother of Amy (in Colorado Springs) and Kimberly (in Texas), and grandmother of three. She had recently celebrated her 84th birthday with her family and friends at Rauch Memory Care House in Pilgrim Place.

Linda was born on July 13, 1941, in Warren, OH to Alford and Mildred Mott. She grew up in nearby Hubbard, where her two older brothers spoiled her and included her in everything, even Boy Scout meetings. She was good at tying knots.

Linda graduated from Theil College in Meadville, PA, and later did graduate work in the State University of New York, Buffalo. In her early college years she did not feel that grades were important and found a great deal of her time was taken up by talking to students who seemed to need someone whom they could talk confidentially. She also worked with youth groups at a large church in the community. One summer Linda was on the Summer Staff at the American Baptist Assembly in Green Lake, WI.

She went on to become a teacher and while teaching Junior High English near Lockport, New York she attended a Baptist Church. She met Keith Tennis in the First Baptist Church, where she volunteered as a youth leader and Keith was Associate Pastor. They married on Valentine’s Day 1965 and were called to serve the Busti Federated Church in Jamestown, NY, comprised of three traditions – Baptist, Methodist, and Swedish Covenant Federation.

Linda and Keith were commissioned as missionaries to Thailand by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society (ABFMS) in May 1968. They served there from 1968-1972. Their service in Thailand was in education and evangelism, working with the Chinese people in the operation and ministry of a boarding school for children of Sammuk Christian Academy in Bang Saen, a Chinese Baptist school. During the early years in Thailand it was clear that Linda and Keith were kind, compassionate, understanding and committed to the people with whom they interacted with.

After completing their first term of service in 1972 the family moved to Hubbard, Ohio where Keith was invited to serve as the pastor of the First Baptist Church. They served there for six years.

In 1978 Linda and Keith were reinstated as missionaries to Hong Kong. They worked with 17 churches and their Chinese leaders. Linda’s area of expertise was education. She taught English as a second language, served as principal of Kowloon Baptist Church Kindergarten, an institution which had the reputation of being ’a place that will go the extra mile in Christian love’. There were 190 children aged 2-5, from 27 nationalities. There were teachers from 11 nationalities.

Linda was also involved with the Moon Lok Christian Center and worked with Vietnamese refugees. She worked with special needs people and was counselor to youth of all ages. She also administered the STEP scholarship program. In 1997 they returned to the States and settled in Phoenixville, PA; at this time Linda resigned from missionary service.

Keith credits Linda with teaching him how to minister with patience and kindness, thus providing calm wisdom that accounted for their collective success in mission.

Once back in the U.S., Linda worked as a kindergarten & preschool principal in Norristown, PA. Keith worked on the staff of International Ministries as Area Director for Southeast Asia and China, and then as the Team Leader for the Global Missions Area Team until retirement in 2001.

In 2002, Linda and Keith retired to Pilgrim Place in California. In Pilgrim Place, Linda worked for many years in the International Bazaar. She loved doing flower arrangements in the former lounge (now Garden Café) and the North Pitzer entrance hall, in addition to serving on several committees. In recent years, she has been a spark of light in Rauch House (Memory Care) with her generous smiles and often animated conversation.

Keith was with Linda daily through her years in Rauch, and Linda’s daughters, Amy and Kim, have stayed in close touch and spent time with their mother recently. Anyone who knew Linda was aware that kindness and wisdom have marked her entire life. She will be missed.

Linda is survived by her husband, Keith and her daughters, Amy and Kimberly, and three grandchildren.

Per Linda’s request, a simple Memorial Service will be held at Pilgrim Place on August 23, 2025, where friends and family can read scripture, offer prayers and share memories.