Kennith Allen Tanner (Ken) and Catherine Marie Tanner (Cathy), husband and wife, passed into the presence of Jesus together on April 23, 2026, as the result of a motorcycle accident. They were beloved by a large community who were impacted by their lives and who grieve their loss. The Tanners loved the Lord Jesus and had a steadfast confidence in his promises.

Ken was born on September 20, 1966, in Flint, Michigan. Cathy was born on December 15, 1965, in Detroit. The Tanners were married on Cathy’s birthday, 1994 and by God’s grace, built a rich life together. In recent years, their joy was particularly full as they embraced life as grandparents, living one field over from their daughter Kimberly Oppizzi, her husband Michael, and their three grandsons, Augustine, Dante, and Ambrose — a constant delight to them. They also knew deep sorrow when, in October of 2022, they grieved the loss of a grandson, Ransom Swift Oppizzi.

Ken had a long career in cartography, serving for over 28 years as President of CenterPoint Flood Services. He was an avid outdoorsman, craftsman and recreational hockey player. Cathy was an artist, educator and exemplary friend. Since 2011, she served as a Science teacher at Paideia Academy in Knoxville, where she found delight in introducing the beauty and glory of God’s creation to students in their Lower School. It was her practice to pray for each student by name. The Tanners were beloved and active members of Basswood Church where Ken served as a deacon.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 3, at 5:00 PM at Basswood Church 1628 Dry Gap Pike Knoxville, Tennessee , 37918

In lieu of flowers for the memorial service, the family has made two requests.

They would love for people to surprise them with flowers in the weeks and months ahead, once the immediacy of the loss has passed and life has moved on. Also, the family cherishes the art of storytelling — a gift that Ken and Cathy shared often. Whether they were true stories, fictional stories, partially true (but embellished) stories, stories from childhood, or even recent stories, these were treasured by the family and will be missed. To honor this, they would love for you to write down your own "Ken and Cathy Stories" -- funny, serious, or simple, little moments that stood out to you - on actual paper. These handwritten memories may be mailed or hand-delivered to the family, who will treasure and reread them for years. They appreciate your care for them. Even in sorrow, we give thanks to God for Ken and Cathy’s lives and rest in the sure hope of resurrection.