Mr. Ruben Graham Dennis

COLUMBIA Funeral service for Ruben Graham Dennis, 91, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, April 30, 2015, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 1 until 2:00 p.m. at the church prior to the service. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. Mr. Dennis died Saturday, April 25, 2015. Born in Columbia, he was a son of the late R.C. and Lila Mae Neeley Dennis. He contracted a severe case of rheumatic fever when he was 13 and was bedridden for months and was advised by his doctors to live a sedentary lifestyle. However, he contradicted them by playing football, baseball, basketball and track at Olympia High School, where he graduated. When World War II began, he was turned down by the U.S. Army but the Marines took him. He fought in the South Pacific and achieved the rank of sergeant. He retired from the S.C. Army National Guard in 1978. He was a former resident of South Kilbourne Road for 53 years and a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Pacific Masonic Lodge and “We are Olympia.” Surviving are his son, Steven D. Dennis of Columbia; daughter, Karen D. Garland (Steven) of Greenville; grandchildren, Patrick G. Dennis (Michelle) of Columbia, Matthew C. Dennis (Carol) of Columbia, Mary Kathryn Garland, Maria M. Garland, Alexandra A. Garland, all of Greenville; great-granddaughter, Anna Margaret Dennis of Columbia; numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Emogene Hazel Broadrick Dennis; brothers, R.C. Dennis Jr., Alfred D. Dennis Sr.; and sister, Alberta Dennis Burley. The family would like to thank his caregivers, Mamie McGill and Queen McClam for all their love and care. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 1127 Olympia Avenue, Columbia, SC 29201.