Amanda Lynn Tennyson

Amanda L. Tennyson, died suddenly on Monday, July 21, 2025, leaving her family and community shattered with grief.

Amanda was born Feb 23, 1986, in Saginaw, Michigan to parents Norman Tennyson and Kathy Flores.

Amanda was a fierce and passionate advocate for meeting people where they are at and incorporating harm reduction approaches into all aspects of her work, particularly when engaging people with substance use disorder. She treated everyone who stepped into her office as a person, not as someone defined by their addiction or struggles. During her years with Public Health, she used her vast knowledge and experiences to provide all of us with education on harm reduction and the impacts of the system on individual people. She never hesitated to share her skills and background to reduce stigma and increase her impact in the community. The culmination of her passion and drive led to a variety of personal and professional successes, including the Spirit of Public Health award from WPHA, graduating from FVTC with her SAC-IT (Substance Use Counselor), receiving a pardon from Governor Evers, and recognition of her work from state and national coalitions. She treated everyone in her path with kindness and encouragement and always uplifted her coworkers with a sassy comment and positive affirmations. Despite and because of her own personal struggles, she saw each one of us as complete humans, as broken or whole as we were in the moment.

Amanda leaves behind a family and community of people who love her. Her biggest pride and joy were her two sons, Aiden Schmidt, and Carter Tennyson. She was so proud to be a “boy mom” and she loved her boys fiercely.

She is survived by her mother, Kathy Flores and step-parent Zephyr Kendzierski, father Norman Tennyson and step-mother Darcy Tennyson, sisters, Alicia Tennyson and Amber Flores, step-sisters and brothers Cristal Corey/partner Emily Wrase, Brandon Corey, Jacob Corey/partner Tiger Schumann. She adored her nieces Elliana, and Mila, and nephew Brantley; and is further survived by many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

In addition to biological family, she leaves behind a huge community of chosen family whom she loved with her entire being. Especially two of her besties who were there for through thick and thin, Carly and Kayla.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents Raymond and Elida Rueckert and Clarence and Loretta Tennyson, all from Michigan.

A celebration of Amanda’s life will be held at 3:15PM, on Friday, August 8, 2025, at First Congregtional United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River St., Appleton. Visitation will be on Friday at the church from 12:30PM until the time of the celebration. In lieu of flowers, we have set up a trust for her boys at Community First Credit Union, the Amanda Tennyson Memorial Fund.

Amanda's passing is an impactful event for her family and community. We lost an important part of us today. Pay attention to what you are feeling and experiencing. Pay attention to others, too, help can be hard to ask for.