Irving L. Denslow

Irving Leroy “Denny” Denslow, 82, of Norfolk, VA, passed away on January 19, 2014. Denny was born on May 10, 1931 in Benton Harbor, Michigan to the late Floyd Eugene and Hazel Wood Denslow. In 1948 Denny enlisted in the Navy and served on continuous active duty until his retirement in 1969, at which time he held the rank of Chief Warrant Officer (Electronics). Upon retirement from the Navy, he was hired by Control Data Corporation in Bethesda, Maryland, as a field engineer. He held this position until he obtained employment with the Command Operational Test and Evaluation Force in Norfolk, Virginia, where he remained until retiring in 1994. Meanwhile, Denny attended evening classes at Old Dominion University and graduated with a degree in Business Administration (Accounting) in 1976 (an achievement of which he and his family were very proud, considering that he did not complete high school due to enlisting at age 17). In 1978, Denny started his own income tax consulting business and focused on assisting military service members with in and out-of-state returns. He continued this business for 24 years until 2002. In August 1949, Denny met Joyce Marie Branch while she was visiting Ocean View during a summer weekend and he was on liberty from his ship, then stationed at Naval Station Norfolk. Joyce was the daughter of Martin Luther and Pearl Gallop Branch of Richmond, VA. Denny and Joyce were married on July 22, 1951 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The next year they purchased a home in Norfolk and maintained their primary residence in Norfolk since then. Joyce and Denny were married for 59 years until Joyce passed away in 2010. Denny is survived by his son, Keith Denslow and his wife Jane Sears Denslow, of Norfolk, Virginia; his daughter, Barbara Jo Denslow Pierce and her husband Douglas Pierce, of Bradenton, Florida; and four grandchildren: Taylor Towe Denslow and Dylan Ross Denslow, of Norfolk, Shawn Michael Bailey and his wife Brittany Nicole Bailey, and Austin Paige Bailey, of Bradenton, Florida. The family will receive friends at Smith and Williams Funeral Home, Norfolk Chapel, 818 Norview Ave., on Friday, Jan. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in Denny’s memory to the American Lung Association or the American Cancer Society.