Lillian Baum Tenney

   Lillian Baum Tenney, 85, of Princeton, died Friday, Feb. 23, at home.
   Born in the Bronx, N.Y., she was a Princeton resident since 1953.
   A psychiatrist, she maintained a private practice in Lawrence Township and also taught and practiced psychiatry at Rutgers University.
   She graduated two years ahead of her class at Walton High School, enrolled in Hunter College for a year, and went on to obtain her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1943. She paid her own way through college by juggling a 40-hour work week split between three different jobs with her academic classes. Prior to medical school she worked as a waitress on Cape Cod and for two years as a medical technician traveling throughout New England.
   She earned her doctor of medicine degree from the University of Rochester in 1949 followed by four residencies at Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital in pediatrics, adult psychiatry, child psychiatry and obstetrics.
   She moved with her husband to Princeton in 1953 where he taught at Princeton University and then worked as a research physicist at the university’s Plasma Physics Laboratory until his death in 1984.
   Dr. Tenney delayed practicing for 15 years to raise four children with her husband. In 1968, she re-established her board certification and began an extensive private practice specializing in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry.
   Dr. Tenney was also clinical professor of psychiatry at Rutgers University where she was chief psychiatrist at the Willets Student Health Center for many years. In addition, she was a psychiatrist at Mercer County Child Guidance Clinic, New Jersey Neuropsychiatric Institute in Montgomery and Lawrence Township Public Schools.
   She was often sought as an expert witness in court cases and for many years taught and trained medical students at the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine and Dentistry in psychiatric interviewing at Princeton House Behavioral Health.
   She maintained an active practice until illness forced her to suspend it in spring 2006.
   She was an active member in dozens of peace-based and humanitarian organizations. In the 1960s she and her husband co-founded the Ethical Culture Fellowship of Princeton. She adopted animals throughout her life and enjoyed gardening, cooking, skiing and dancing.
   Her husband, Frederick H. Tenney, is deceased. She is survived by her sons and daughter-in-law, Steven Tenney, David and Marie-Diane Tenney and Jon Tenney; daughter and son-in-law Susan Tenney Diamond and Hal Diamond; grandchildren Danny, Emerson, Oliver and Genevieve; and step-grandchildren Michael and Allison.
   A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Princeton University Chapel followed by a reception at the Prospect House.
   Memorial contributions may be made to Doctors without Borders USA, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, Md. 21741-5030.
   Arrangements are by Kimble Funeral Home, Princeton.