To view a recording of the service, available 10/13 access https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas
Tenley D. (Kostenko) Johnson, 71, Max, formerly of Butte, died Saturday, October 5, 2024, in her home.
Tenley D. (Kostenko) Johnson was born on August 21, 1953 to Samuel and Irene (Knodel) Kostenko, at Trinity Hospital in Minot North Dakota. Tenley was raised on the family farm, located Southeast of Butte, where she and her sisters helped with the farming chores. That included picking rocks and running from the tame geese in the yard and petting a bull named “Curly”.
She grew up in the Butte area and was educated at Butte Public School, elementary and high school, where she graduated in May of 1971. Following her high school graduation, she attended Minot State College and earned a degree in Secretarial Science. After receiving her degree, she was employed as a medical transcriptionist and secretary for several years in Minot. In 1982 she returned to MSU to finish her BS in Education Degree. When Tenley and Wayne moved to Max in 1985, she student taught music at Max Public School and later received her teaching degree.
On April 21, 1973, she was married to her high school sweetheart Wayne. She worked hard for 52 years to train him to be the man he was to be. They celebrated their 50th Anniversary in a wonderful celebration put on by their three daughters and sons-in-law and grandchildren at the Max Civic Center, with many relatives and friends present.
After their marriage they resided in Minot for several years and later moved to Kief, in 1976, and then to Butte in 1981, and later to Max in 1985, following along with her husband’s jobs. While living in Minot, we welcomed in our first daughter, Joy in December. After moving to Kief, we welcomed in two more daughters, Kristy, born in February, and Sarah born in January. These were the three lights of her life!
While living in Kief, she became the city treasurer and auditor for the community and also worked for Alme Implement and Chevrolet as the office secretary in Drake. In our move to Butte, Tenley found a new line of work, as the Head-Start Cluster leader and teacher for the Kief and Butte area. When we moved to Max, she student taught at Max Public School and after receiving her teaching license, started her teaching career at Underwood Public School as their choir and band instructor. After one year there, she was hired by the Garrison Public School where she also served as the band and choir director for 1O years, serving as both, High School and Elementary Music Teacher. She took her bands and choirs on several band tours around the state and also to Minneapolis for the Jazz Festival there. In 1996 she was hired by the Minot Catholic School system where she had directed the bands and choirs for 9 years, increasing from 24 concert band members to 2 full concert bands, 1 Junior High band, 2 Elementary bands, 2 Jazz bands, and one drumline. With her groups of talented musicians, she played for many tournaments in Minot, and also at several Nursing Homes and Care Centers in Minot. She was blessed with being able to take her bands to the Orlando Jazz Festival a couple of years, as she had so many talented musicians who were all very special to her. I always said she demanded respect from her students, but also demanded respect for them. he was blessed with so many Bishop Ryan Parents, who helped her with whatever needed to be done and later with the help of her students and parents, they created a Christmas Themed the “Nativity of our Lord”, program for the community and area.
After her nine years at Bishop Ryan School, she was hired at Max Public School as the business and computer technology instructor. She used to drive thirty miles to school and now walked out her front door and walked a block to the school, almost forgetting how to drive after all her trips to Garrison and Minot. She was finally able to teach in what was her major in college and was somewhat relieved not to have to spend so much time with music, although she loved music her whole life. She taught at Max Public School for 13 years and retired from teaching, after 30 years, in 2018.
Tenley had many different hobbies including knitting and sewing and playing her piano for churches in Kief, Butte and Max. She played for many funerals and weddings as well. She enjoyed playing softball (bad facial bruise), volleyball (torn achilles tendon), and even tried golfing with her partner Wayne for several years. Her favorite hobby was playing with her grandchildren and spending time with her sisters and daughters and their families. Her Birthday games were one of her favorites every year. Tenley also taught Sunday School and Bible School at Balfour, Butte and Max, where she enjoyed all the children who were there.
Tenley was a member of the Max Garrison Ambulance crew serving as an EMT-I, where she was involved in many ambulance runs caring for others in need. She also coached Junior High basketball at Max, led a Bible study group, and played her trombone in the Minot City Band. In later years, she bought and learned how to play the accordion, joining with the Accordion Club in Minot, where they played at the Hostfest celebration. After her granddaughter became a concert violinist, Tenley decided to try that instrument as well and practiced and played several times, not quite reaching concert violinist, but nonetheless making some music come from that old violin.
She served as the forewoman on the many remodeling and reconstructing of our houses that we have lived in and made sure everything was done right. The main love of spring and summer usually showed in the pride she took in her flower and vegetable gardens over the years. The pond she dug, mostly with her bare hands with some help, was her pride and joy in the backyard along with all the beautiful flowers. At one time she taught piano lessons for several children. In the fall she baked and canned like no one else and made sure we were stocked for winter. Christmas baking with the girls was probably one of her favorite times.
Tenley spent over thirty years working against that dreaded cancer that is so prevalent in this world. She fought the good fight but was unable to beat it at the end. She died peacefully at her own home, where she was most comfortable and had her Bible close by at all times.
Tenley’s loving family include: her husband of 52 years, Wayne; daughters Joy (Shawn) Keller of Minot, Kristy (Dan) Coopman of Minot and Sarah Smith of Minot; grandchildren Devan and Ezra Johnson, Elise Sinner, Adele and Ivy Coopman, Samantha and Ayva Maltz and Maggie Smith; sisters Cassie Oster Minot, Randy Cosacchi, Moorhead, MN, Penny (George) Legg of Butte; sisters-in-law Loretta Martinsen, Marlys Sundbakken, Eleanor Berg and Diane Johnson; brothers-in-law Glen (Debbie) Johnson, Delane Kritsky and Tim Schatz along with numerous nieces and nephews her beloved pets Maxie and Billy.
Tenley was preceded in death by her grandparents Albert and Mary Knodel, parents Sam and Irene Kostenko, mother and father-in-law Olive and Lloyd Johnson, sisters-in-law, Marlene Kritsky and Doreen Schatz, brothers-in-law Milfred Johnson, Duane Oster, Melvin Martinsen, Larry Sundbakken, Laverne Berg, Tony Cosacchi and Fred Meldahl, relative Max Kostenko as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 12, 2024, at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Max, ND with fellowship to follow at the Max Civic Center. To view a recording of the service, available 10/13 access https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas
Visitation: Friday, October 11, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers to the Trinity Hospital Cancer Care Center or Trinity Hospice, of Minot. Both were a blessing to us on this journey.
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