Services for Elizabeth Ella “Betty” Wesson Denny, 86, of Ada are 2:00 p.m. Monday, November 9, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church, Rev. David Daniel, Dr. Roberto Escamilla, and Rev. Bob Langston officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. The family is receiving friends from 5-7 p.m. Sunday at Criswell Funeral Home.
Mrs. Denny passed away from this life on November 4, 2015 at her home. She was born November 22, 1928 at Prescott, AR to Lynton Earl and Lenna Beaty Wesson. She graduated from high school in Emmet, AR in 1946, then attended Magnolia A&M (now Southern Arkansas State University) and Arkansas State Teachers College, earning a BSE degree and membership in Alpha Chi Honor Society, and going on to obtain a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Arkansas and a Master’s degree in Home Economics from Colorado State University. In Arkansas, she taught home economics at Emerson High School from 1951-54, Wynne High School in 1955, and the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville from 1955-1961. She came to Ada to teach at East Central State College in 1961-62. She married Dr. Donald Paul Denny on August 15, 1962 in Midland, TX, and became a homemaker. She was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in Ada and was active in the United Methodist Women and Golden Agers. She was a founding member of the Pontotoc County Historical and Genealogical Society and was also a member of Faculty Wives and a long-standing member of the Music Department of the Fortnightly Study Club.
Survivors include a daughter, Leslie Anne Burnet, and husband Donald of Los Angeles, CA; a grandson, Paul Burnet of Los Angeles, CA; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and five brothers, Earl, Joe, James, Raymond and John Wesson.
Bearers will be Billy Rice, Bill Chapman, Ken Turner, Floyd Gurley, Jim Herndon and Todd Moon. Honorary bearers will be the members of the Fellowship Sunday School Class.
The family would like to thank Gayle Crane, Brian Engel, Chuck Lindholm and Todd and Kim Moon for their kindness and helpfulness to Mrs. Denny and her family.
The family says those who wish may make memorials to the First United Methodist Church of Ada Foundation, P. O. Box 566, Ada, OK 74821.
Obituaries may be viewed and online condolences sent to criswellfh.com.
Criswell Funeral Home
