Celebrating the life of
Mildred Elizabeth Tonning
September 27, 1916 - February 21, 2009
Mildred Elizabeth Tonning, 92 died peacefully at home in Savannah, GA where she lived with her daughter on Saturday, February 21st, 2009. She was a longtime resident of Memphis and moved to Savannah in 2005. Mrs. Tonning is the widow of Dr. Wayland A. Tonning, Sr. She was preceded in death by her parents Mr. & Mrs. Robert William Tonning, Sr., her sister, Dorothy Tonning Skelton and her brother, Robert William Tonning, Jr.
Born in 1916, Mrs. Tonning was a member of what has been called 'The Greatest Generation' whose lives were tempered by extraordinary events including The Great Depression, WWII, and the Korean and Vietnam wars in which her husband and later her son served in the combat zones. A devout Catholic, Mrs. Tonning's faith provided her optimism and comfort.
Born in Chicago, Mrs. Tonning, was a member of the class of 1935 of Elmhurst College. She met Wayland Tonning and married in 1940. Military commitments and business assignments following WWII resulted in moves from Bensenville, IL to Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Chicago and Champaign, IL. Eventually, the family moved to Memphis when Dr.Tonning left his teaching position at the University of Illinois and was recruited by MSU now the University of Memphis to create the Sales Major.
Dr. & Mrs. Tonning were founding members of Holy Rosary parish, where she was a daily communicant. Mrs. Tonning was an active member of the Holy Rosary Altar Society, the St. Agnes Academy Study Club and Mother's Club, the Memphis Board of Realtors, the League of Women Voters, the Ladies of Charity, Madonna Circle, the U of M Faculty Wives Club and Wyndyke Country Club, where she enjoyed golf. In Savannah she was a member of First Friends and the Landlovers Antiques group. She was an adorer at the Perpetual Adoration chapel at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the Lumen Christi chapel at St. James Catholic Church. She was a communicant of St. James. As the great niece of Anna Othilie Tonning, the head of the Salvation Army in Norway, Mrs. Tonning was a strong supporter of the Salvation Army.
Gifted with a keen intellect and an inquisitive mind, she was an avid student of many subjects and was involved in clubs or study groups that reflected her interests, including: antiques, politics, nutrition, real estate, collectibles and investments. The first woman in her family to attend college, Mrs. Tonning was trained as a chemist and worked in that field during WWII. Her treasures were her faith and her family. She was committed to the Catholic education of her children and stressed family values and community service in their lives. Primarily a homemaker and stay-at-home Mom, Mrs. Tonning did teach school one year at Holy Cross Catholic School in Champaign, Illinois. She loved to travel and among her favorite trips were religious pilgrimages. These included visits to shrines at Lourdes, France; Fatima, Portugal; Mexico City Guadalupe Mexico; Paris; Rome and the Holy Lands.
Mrs. Tonning leaves a son and 3 daughters, Wayland A "Lanny" Tonning, Jr. Linda of Albuquerque, NM; Jane Tonning of Memphis; Joan Tonning Hug Bob of Savannah, GA and Margaret "Mig" Tonning Williams Adam of Memphis. She leaves 7 grandchildren: Sean Tonning Charlene of Horseshoe Bay, TX, Marcy Smith of Memphis, Meredith Smith Bryan Chris of Arlington TN, Dean Tonning of Dallas, Elizabeth Tonning of Albuquerque and Avery and Alexis Williams of Memphis; 3 great grand children: Shelby, Jeb and Bonnie Bryan plus one expected in March all of Arlington, TN and many loving nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Mass will be held Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church.
Memorials may be sent to: Vietnam Veterans National Memorial c/o David Westphall Veterans Foundation, PO Box 608, Angel Fire, New Mexico 87710; The Salvation Army; Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 4851 Park Avenue, Memphis; St. Agnes Academy, 4830 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis; or the Tonning Sales Institute at the University of Memphis or the charity of the donor's choice.
Joan and Bob, We are so sorry to hear of your mothers passing. Having lost our parents we can certainly understand your sadness. It is however a time to celebrate a life and the reward of joining her maker. God Bless you and your family,
- Tammy and Gerry Quirk, Savannah, GA
Please accept our sorrow at your loss, and our great gratitude for having Mildred Elizabeth as our aunt. Take care!
- Barry & KIim Tonning, Mt. Sterling, KY
Dear Joan: I did not really know your mother but she must have been a brilliant loving woman to have a daughter such as you. God Bless you and your family
- Joseph L. Malone, Savannah, GA
Dear Mom, Your leaving is a loss to us and to all our friends who were fortunate enough to meet you. Thank you for coming to live with Bob & me in Savannah for the past three years. We were blessed with your presence. Your absence leaves a hole in my heart that is too big to think about. I love you, too, Twirly. Joan
- Joan Tonning Hug, Savannah, GA
I will miss your talks
- william f skelton, cape girardeau, MO
To Lanny, Jane, Joan, Mig, and to your families, My deepest sympathies for your loss; Aunt Mil was a shining light on this earth. I know there is a joyful reunion in heaven even as this burden must be borne amongst you. She was a source of joy at the rightness in the world, and amused astonishment at the not-so-rightness. One could do a lot worse than to live by that example.
- Julian Tonning, Holland, MI
My thoughts and prayers go to all of Mildred's friends and family members. She will be missed.
- Kristeen Tonning Gress, Juneau, AK
Lanny, Joan, Jane, Migs and family. My brother Henrik and I are very saddened to hear of your Mom's passing. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to meet her and you folks too of course... just as I know my own Father felt in finally meeting and communicating with his cousin your Mom. Your Mom enjoyed a very special and most unique life here on earth. She has left an enduring footprint that you are no doubt very proud of. Heaven is getting to be a pretty special place with your Mom now joining my Dad dod Oct. 27, 2007 and their many other Tonning relatives who went along before them. You can image the fun they're all having being together again! Warmest personal thoughts, your CND cousin, Stephen Tonning
- Stephen Tonning, Long Reach, NB
Our family was blessed to have a wonderful Aunt. What a dear sweet person. I loved to call her and listen to everything she said. So kind and thoughtful. I will truely miss her and am certain that she is in heaven.
- Russell Wayland Tonning, Conyers, GA
She was a wonderful woman in every way possible. She put in more years then most people could dream of and she did it with a constant smile, I can only hope to have half of her grace and energy as I move forward in life. She will be missed but she will never be forgotten.
- Matt Tonning, Providence, RI
Bye, Mom. Thanks for a great life!
- Lanny, Albuquerque, NM
Joan and Bob, We are so sorry to hear of your mothers passing. Having lost our parents we can certainly understand your sadness. It is however a time to celebrate a life and the reward of joining her maker. God Bless you and your family,
- Tammy and Gerry Quirk, Savannah, GA
Please accept our sorrow at your loss, and our great gratitude for having Mildred Elizabeth as our aunt. Take care!
- Barry & KIim Tonning, Mt. Sterling, KY
Dear Joan: I did not really know your mother but she must have been a brilliant loving woman to have a daughter such as you. God Bless you and your family
- Joseph L. Malone, Savannah, GA
Dear Mom, Your leaving is a loss to us and to all our friends who were fortunate enough to meet you. Thank you for coming to live with Bob & me in Savannah for the past three years. We were blessed with your presence. Your absence leaves a hole in my heart that is too big to think about. I love you, too, Twirly. Joan
- Joan Tonning Hug, Savannah, GA
I will miss your talks
- william f skelton, cape girardeau, MO
To Lanny, Jane, Joan, Mig, and to your families, My deepest sympathies for your loss; Aunt Mil was a shining light on this earth. I know there is a joyful reunion in heaven even as this burden must be borne amongst you. She was a source of joy at the rightness in the world, and amused astonishment at the not-so-rightness. One could do a lot worse than to live by that example.
- Julian Tonning, Holland, MI
My thoughts and prayers go to all of Mildred's friends and family members. She will be missed.
- Kristeen Tonning Gress, Juneau, AK
Lanny, Joan, Jane, Migs and family. My brother Henrik and I are very saddened to hear of your Mom's passing. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to meet her and you folks too of course... just as I know my own Father felt in finally meeting and communicating with his cousin your Mom. Your Mom enjoyed a very special and most unique life here on earth. She has left an enduring footprint that you are no doubt very proud of. Heaven is getting to be a pretty special place with your Mom now joining my Dad dod Oct. 27, 2007 and their many other Tonning relatives who went along before them. You can image the fun they're all having being together again! Warmest personal thoughts, your CND cousin, Stephen Tonning
- Stephen Tonning, Long Reach, NB
Our family was blessed to have a wonderful Aunt. What a dear sweet person. I loved to call her and listen to everything she said. So kind and thoughtful. I will truely miss her and am certain that she is in heaven.
- Russell Wayland Tonning, Conyers, GA
She was a wonderful woman in every way possible. She put in more years then most people could dream of and she did it with a constant smile, I can only hope to have half of her grace and energy as I move forward in life. She will be missed but she will never be forgotten.
- Matt Tonning, Providence, RI
Bye, Mom. Thanks for a great life!
- Lanny, Albuquerque, NM
Services under the direction of:
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
912-352-7200
