Tena was born July 7, 1942, in Tzum, Netherlands, to Sam and Minnie Boomsma. Tena, her parents, and her five siblings immigrated by ship to the United States in 1948. The family settled near Hitchcock, South Dakota, on a family dairy farm. Tena was naturalized as an American citizen in 1953. She married Roger Baruth on May 27, 1967. They lived together on the family farm where Tena spent her life devoted to her family and raising their sons.

Education was of the uppermost importance to Tena. She graduated from Hitchcock High School in 1960, and attended Huron College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. Upon graduation from college, Tena began teaching at Carthage High School (South Dakota). She was the business/typing teacher, as well as the first female basketball coach in Carthage High School history. Tena took a break from teaching to stay at home with her children. In 1994, she earned her master's degree in school counseling from South Dakota State University and returned to her teaching career and the joy of working with children. She taught in the Huron School system for 13 years as an elementary and middle school guidance counselor. Tena had a positive and everlasting impact on thousands of children during her educational career. She also instilled dedication and a hard work ethic into her children, particularly when it came to education. All five of Tena's sons have college degrees.

Tena was an avid sports fan. All of her boys were actively involved in sports and Tena attended all of their sporting events. She spent many hours rebounding for her sons and "coaching" them after games. All five boys continued their sports careers in college, participating in basketball or track.

The purpose of the Tena Baruth Scholarship is to assist those in the SVSU basketball program toward degree completion. In memory of Tena, this scholarship continues to fulfill her legacy of helping young people realize that a strong education provides many opportunities in life.