By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Dolly Tinsley Tichenor was the woman behind the man.

As the wife for 47 years of the late Rev. Thomas J. Tichenor, a pastor and president of the Ohio Baptist State Convention, Mrs. Tichenor was "faithful, not only in keeping Dad ready and prepared to be away to the church office each morning, but to also be ready to go when he was called for emergencies," said her daughter, Shirley Henderson of Sharonville.

"Not only did she see that he was physically prepared, but she also was ready with a world of encouragement during those difficult times in any ministry."

"Mrs. Dolly," as she was known at Baptist churches throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, died of congestive heart failure March 28 at her daughter's home. She was 89.

Mrs. Tichenor not only enabled her husband to engage in a wide ministry, but she worked alongside him, teaching religion to countless children.

"She loved children and children, in turn, loved her," her daughter said.

"She not only had a good time working with youngsters, but she also enjoyed playing right along with them."

It was a "mutual love affair," between Mrs. Dolly and "her children," Henderson said. "For 30 years she carried a note in her purse that was written to her by one of her first Sunday school boys and passed to her during a Sunday morning church service. The author of the note is now a church pastor."

Mrs. Tichenor was born and grew up near Shelbyville, Ky., and attended Georgetown (Ky.) College, as well as the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville.

She served alongside her husband when he was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Mount Healthy from 1966 to 1977, then traveled the state with him when he served as president of the State Convention of Baptists.

Together they traveled to churches around the country until his death in 2001.

In addition to her daughter, survivors include nieces and nephews.

Services have been held. Burial was at Arlington Memorial Gardens in Springfield Township.

Memorials: Tichenor Scholarship Fund, Southern Baptist Seminary, 2825 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40280; or Ohio WMU Foundation/National WMU Endowment, 100 Missionary Ridge, Birmingham, AL 35242.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com