Edith V. Denton

Edith, was born to Calvin, and Mae Britt in Mississippi County, Missouri on January 22, 1928 and passed away on March 17, 2013 in Montclair, California. One of eleven children, Edith grew up in a loving home. The Great Depression and World War II spanned her entire childhood and helped form her hard working, giving, and unselfish nature. Edith learned to rely on God's grace, to respect family and friends, and to offer help whenever and where ever she saw the need. Edith and husband Rodger (married January 1946), were true pioneers. In their early twenties, they went with family members to Mesa, Arizona to pick cotton on the Pima Reservation. When family headed home to southeast Missouri, Edith and Rodger loaded a few belongings (and two children) and followed best friends, Helen and Thurman Calhoon to California. While they always considered East Prairie, Missouri home, the wonderland that was Southern California in the early 1950's allowed them to raise a family and live life to the fullest. Edith worked in the home, caring for her three children, until she was offered a job in food services at Chaffey College in 1967. She served up lively conversation along with good food until her retirement in 1987. Retirement meant that Edith and Rodger could take more road trips...something they had done yearly since moving away from family. Now, they not only made a yearly trip "home" (to Missouri) they also went to Nashville, TN each year for the gospel quartet convention. They saw the east coast, more of the southern states, and even ventured to Hawaii. They visited family in northern California twice a year, and only slowed down because Rodger's health failed due to Alzheimer's disease. Edith was preceded in death by her brother William Britt, mother and father, sisters, Kathryn Stockman and Edna Couch, husband, Rodger Denton, and brothers, Berl and Pete Britt. She is survived by daughter, Debbie Howell, son Bill Denton, daughter Sharon Green, grandsons, Brian Howell, Jesse Cruz, and Scott Howell, granddaughter, Makayla Green, great-grandson, Christopher Howell, great-granddaughters, Amanda and Courtney Howell, sister, Earlene Bell, brothers, Jack, Jerry, Corky, and Larry Britt, and many beloved nieces and nephews. Edith will be missed by family and friends.

A viewing will be held Thursday, March 21 from 5 to 8 pm. The funeral service will be Friday, March 22nd at 12 noon

at Draper Mortuary 811 N. Mountain Ave., Ontario, CA 91762