Denniston, Bryant Paul 1925-2003

DENNISTON, JOHNSON, INGOLD, VERSTEEGH, GORDON, TORRENCE

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 10/16/2005 at 15:32:11

SANTA FE, N.M. - Bryant Paul Denniston, 79, of Santa Fe, N.M., formerly of Newton, died Monday, March 24, at his home.

Berardinelli Family Funeral Service, 1399 Luisa St., Santa Fe, N.M. 87505 (505-984-8600), is handling arrangements.

The family asks that memorial gifts be made to Hospice or First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe Memorial Fund in lieu of flowers.

The son of Roy and Carrie (Johnson) Denniston, he was born May 19, 1925, in Newton, where he lived until his retirement. He graduated from Newton Senior High School in 1943. As a young man, he attended and worked at Cheley, Colorado Camps (near Estes Park), where he met Marjorie Ingold. They were married in 1948. He attended Drake University and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He joined Denniston and Partridge Lumber Company, established by his grandfather, and served as president for a time.

He was a life-long member of the First Presbyterian Church, serving as elder and deacon. He studied organ with Russell Saunders, served as church organist for 25 years and was dean of the Central Iowa chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He was a member of Rotary International for 37 years. His many years of service to others included leadership and mentoring in the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, leadership on YMCA and Cheley Foundation boards and regular visits and hymn singing with inmates at several state prisons.

Upon retirement in 1987, he and his wife moved to Santa Fe, N.M., serving as Volunteers In Mission at Plaza del Monte Retirement Community of the Presbyterian Church, where they later made their home.

Survivors include his wife; three children and their spouses, Jack and Lorry Denniston, Claire and Larry Versteegh and Louise and Douglas Gordon; four grandchildren and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, step-mother, Alma (Johnston) Denniston; brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Nell Denniston; sister and brother-in-law, Joann and Jim Torrence.

The Newton (IA) Daily News, Wednesday, March 26, 2003