Lou Ann Dennis

Lou Ann Dennis (Sutton), age 84, was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on November 28, 1930. She was the daughter of Verne E. Sutton and Mildred ("Midge") D. Sutton, nee Darding. Her father's family had been in the Pontiac area for some years; her mother's family came to the area via Troy, Ohio and South Carolina.

Lou Ann and her family moved to Rochester in 1933. Her father owned Sutton's Market, a grocery store on the corner of Third and Main. Her mother was a homemaker, artist, and also very active in civic duties.

Lou Ann was bright and gregarious. She graduated from Rochester High School at 16 as co-salutatorian of her class. She attended Michigan State College, later Michigan State University. She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi in recognition of high scholarship and excellence of character, Kappa Delta Phi honor society in education, and Chi Omega Sorority.

She met her husband, Clyde Wayne Dennis, known as Wayne, on a blind date while at MSC. She graduated with a degree in speech pathology and elementary education.

She followed her husband to El Paso, Texas, after their marriage in 1951. He was stationed at the army base there, doing psychological testing. While in El Paso, Lou Ann taught school. She learned Spanish to better communicate with her students, and became very involved with them.

Lou Ann also taught briefly in Holt, Michigan, when her husband had a job selling educational textbooks. Both Lou Ann and Wayne were fortunate to obtain teaching jobs back in her hometown of Rochester. Lou Ann taught Kindergarten while her husband, Wayne, taught Fifth Grade before moving on to the High School as a history teacher and later a counselor.

Lou Ann later co-owned her own nursery school, Happy Hill Nursery, while her two children, Mike and Jill, were small. She returned to the public school system as an elementary school counselor in the early 1970's. When the counseling program was eliminated, she settled at North Hill Elementary , where she briefly taught First Grade, then returned to her beloved Kindergarteners for the balance of her career.

Lou Ann cherished her friendships, many of whom shared her journey since high school and college days. She was a devoted member of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, and gave regularly to the Food Bank and the Detroit Rescue Mission. She was a member of Women's National Farm and Garden, Rochester Branch, for a number of years.

In recent years, since the death of her husband, Lou Ann enjoyed travelling all over the world with a travel group and good friends.

Lou Ann will be mourned and missed by her daughter, Jill Dennis-Booth (Selman Said), her brother, Verne E. Sutton (Joanne, nee Ball), her sister, Susan K. Howe (nee Sutton), daughter-in-law, Cheryl Dennis (née Lazich), beloved nieces, Robin Feagan (Michael), nee Garrard, and Sarah Giffin (Jacob), nee Garrard. She was preceded in death by her husband, C. Wayne Dennis, and her son, Michael W. Dennis.

Memorials may be sent to Rochester Neighborhood House and Food Pantry.