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California was beautiful and the weather was pleasant all year round, so pleasant
that Don never forgot it. He later moved there and has been there ever since.
Lillian, who they called "Mee Maw" taught Don and Cindy etiquette. She
taught them to ask to be excused from the table, proper table settings and other
etiquette. This was quite a surprise to June, their mom, when they arrived back
in Dallas. During one of the California visits,
Lillian had Cindy's hair cut,
a memorable occasion since it had been very long before. When she returned home
in Dallas and got off the plane wearing high heels and a short haircut, her mother didn't
recognize her.
Shortly after a divorce, Cindy's mother June was asked to manage a motel and restaurant
in Winnsboro, Texas called The Trade Winn. At first, Cindy was extremely unhappy
about this decision and was very vocal about her being sent to a "hick"
town. Feeling that this was God's plan, June took Cindy and Don to Winnsboro anyway
and it proved to be a very wise decision which had a positive impact on all their
lives. Winnsboro was a slower paced small town, but the people there were wonderful.
Cindy and Don still have friends from East Texas that they keep in contact with after
all these years.
Education was very important in that community. Cindy began to have a desire to
go to college to become a teacher. One of her teachers, Miss Burkham, along with
other teachers prepared her very well to meet the challenge. She was offered the
opportunity to attend college between her junior and senior year in high school.
She earned college credit, but Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth was not
what Cindy expected. The party atmosphere was very uncomfortable. Cindy decided
college was not for her, but her mother again ignored her immaturity and encouraged
her to attend Baylor in Waco upon graduation from high school in 1966. She attended
Baylor and loved it! She went summer, fall and spring, non-stop and earned her
B.A. in three years. She was offered a fellowship to complete her Masters degree
which she accepted and earned her M.S. in1970.
In August of 1970, Cindy married Paul Heidecker from Beaumont, Texas, the son
of Juanita and Harold Heidecker. Soon after their marriage, Cindy and Paul moved
to Houston, Texas where Cindy began her teaching career in the Spring Branch School
District teaching fourth grade. She taught for two and a half years, but when
she became pregnant with their first child, laws would only allow her to substitute
teach.
On June 4, 1973, Kelli Denise Heidecker, was born and became their pride and joy.
A few months later Cindy was again pregnant and 15 months later Kimberly June
Heidecker was born on September 7, 1974. Both daughters brought much joy to their
lives and Paul wanted Cindy to stay home and nurture them.
Paul was an office supply salesman representing several companies and provided
a comfortable living for his family. Cindy was a housewife until the girls began
school, then Cindy went back to teaching half days at Christ Memorial Lutheran
School. This was the life! Cindy got the girls off to school, straightened up
the house, played racquetball, cleaned up, went to teach and got off just in time
to pick the girls up from school. Kelli was involved in ice skating and Kim was
in gymnastics and tap dancing.
Paul and Cindy found Long Point Baptist Church and became members there. Paul
Stephens was the pastor and he and Joy became dear friends to Paul and Cindy.
It was there that Cindy recognized her need to let Christ be the Lord of her life,
not just her Savior. She had heard the Word all her life, but never really accepted
the message to the point of total surrender. Her life changed through the power
of the Lord and she has never been the same.
In 1984 Cindy heard that Dr. Mary Campbell and Nell Hibbard were founding a school,
The Gospel Lighthouse Christian Academy. Cindy applied for employment and became
a first grade teacher there. Being on the ground floor of a new school was exciting.
God has blessed the school and Cindy was later appointed Elementary Principal.
Cindy and Paul were divorced in May of 1996. There were many hurts, but God has
been faithful and He has never failed.
She is grandmother of Zachary Kyle Ward born April 1, 1993, Alyson Elizabeth Ward
born July 10, 1996 and Kaitlyn Ward born April 11, 2000. Zachary plays the drums
as well as any adult and has a beautiful singing voice. Alyson is also quite
a singer. She loves music and dressing up. When you ask Kaitlyn, "Who loves
Jesus?", she raises her hand! She loves the song, The B I B L E, Yes That's
The Book For Me. Kaitlyn always ends the song with a very loud, "BIBLE!".
She's inquisitive and gets into everything right now.
They are the children of Kimberly and Eddie Ward. They all bring joy and laughter
into Cindy's life. God has gifted them all with musical talent. They love their
Nana and their Aunt Kelli. Kelli has a real knack with children, a God-given gift
of love. Kim has a beautiful voice and uses it in Christian ministry. Her husband,
Eddie, serves God by using his gift of rhythm. He's a bongo drummer and also
plays other percussion instruments. The greatest joy for Cindy is knowing that
her family is serving the Lord!
Cindy met Ronald "Ron" Smith and discovered that they had many things
in common, the most important being their relationships with God. They married
on September 25, 2003. Cindy's aunt, Rev. Darlene Hibbard-Walker, who co-pastors
a church with her husband in Hawaii, married them. They also celebrated their
honeymoon in Hawaii while they were there.
Parents:
Ross
Raymond TENNISON and
June Marie HIBBARD.
Spouse:
Paul Jerome HEIDECKER. Paul Jerome HEIDECKER
and Cynthia June "Cindy" TENNISON were married in Aug 1970.
Children:
Kelli Denise HEIDECKER,
Kimberly June HEIDECKER.
Grandson:
Zachary Kyle WARD
Granddaughter:
Alyson Elizabeth WARD
Granddaughter:
Kaitlyn June WARD
Spouse:
Ronald
"Ron" SMITH. Ronald "Ron" SMITH and Cynthia June "Cindy" TENNISON
were married September 25, 2003 in Hawaii. |
