Tom was the son of:
Chester Willard Dennis 1874-1923, who was born in Illinois
Meda June (Richardson) Dennis 1877-1950, who was born in Missouri
Tom's parents were married on January 1, 1903 in Elmer, Macon County, Missouri, and lived in the Elmer area all their lives.
Tom had 6 siblings:
Della Mae Dennis 1903-1989
Calvin Louis Dennis 1905-1933
Henry Willard Dennis 1907-1907
Myrtle Evelyn Dennis 1908-1991
Everett Lawrence Dennis 1910-2002
John W. Dennis 1914-1993
The Dennis home place was located on J. Highway east of Elmer, Missouri. Tom and his siblings attended the Bunch country school east of their home. When Tom was only 10 years old, his father died of blood poisoning. This was a great hardship on on the family. His mother had no choice but to farm out her children to others, and their schooling was pretty much over. Her two daughters went to live with separate elderly people in the community as caretakers, companions, and servants for their room and board. The boys went to live with and work as farm hands for local farmers.
Tom was taken in by Edgar and Nellie Thurman. They had several children and Tom became very close to the family. They treated him kindly. They were Christians and active in the small Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Missouri, and Tom attended church with them. There, he dedicated his life to Christ at an early age, and lived a Christian life every after that. Tom also worked for Edgar Thurman's brother, Ora and Dessie Thurman, who also lived in Elmer, Missouri. Tom was listed in this household in the 1940 census.
Tom was drafted into the Army in 1941. He served as a private and was honorably discharged. Back at home, he learned of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was called back into service in 1942 and served until 1945. He was stationed in many different places in the United States, but did not go overseas. He was in the Military Police and guarded German prisoners of war in the US. He separated at Fort Crockett, Texas.
During the time he was away in the Army, a young girl back home who went to his church and was a cousin of the Thurmans with whom he stayed, asked Tom's sister Myrtle Dennis one Sunday for his address. That girl wrote to Tom, and he wrote back. Soon, love blossomed.
During one of his furloughs back home, on November 12, 1943, he married that girl. She was LuVella Thurman, daughter of Ira and Della (Wilson) Thurman of rural Atlanta, Missouri. But it wasn't just that easy. LuVella's father did not think this young man was right for his daughter. Knowing he was opposed to a marriage, LuVella enlisted the help of a cousin and his wife. They picked her up for church on this particular Friday night, and she told her parents she was spending the night with the cousin (which was true). She wore two dresses. The outer one was covering up her royal blue velvet wedding dress. After church, they went to the pastor's home and were married. When word reached her father of the marriage, he came with a gun. His cousins, one of whom was Edgar Thurman, talked him down and he finally went home.
Tom and LuVella had a short honeymoon at her cousin's home, then went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where LuVella was to live with another cousin Mary (Holman) Carlock while Tom returned to the Army. LuVella got a job in a candy factory there.
LuVella finally returned home, but only after her father agreed to accept her new husband, and all turned out well. Tom was discharged and came home to farming. In 1945 Tom and LuVella lost a child to a miscarriage. In 1947 they had a baby girl whom they named Blytha Onetha Dennis. This was to be their only child.
In 1950, they moved to Kirksville, Missouri, where there were better work opportunities. They lived on a small 5 acre farm with LuVella's parents at the south edge of town. Tom worked on a section gang for the railroad for a time. He also helped clear land for a newly developing State Park called Thousand Hills, and also clearing land for the REA electrical lines. For many years he worked for the Mitchell Dairy in Kirksville, then as a custodian for the Osteopathic College, and the Laughlin Hospital in Kirksville.
They attended the First Assembly of God Church in Kirksville, Mo., but also returned often to the Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Mo.
LuVella died in 1980 and Tom in 1999 and are both buried at Maple Hills.
- Written by their daughter, Blytha (Dennis) Ellis
Chester Willard Dennis 1874-1923, who was born in Illinois
Meda June (Richardson) Dennis 1877-1950, who was born in Missouri
Tom's parents were married on January 1, 1903 in Elmer, Macon County, Missouri, and lived in the Elmer area all their lives.
Tom had 6 siblings:
Della Mae Dennis 1903-1989
Calvin Louis Dennis 1905-1933
Henry Willard Dennis 1907-1907
Myrtle Evelyn Dennis 1908-1991
Everett Lawrence Dennis 1910-2002
John W. Dennis 1914-1993
The Dennis home place was located on J. Highway east of Elmer, Missouri. Tom and his siblings attended the Bunch country school east of their home. When Tom was only 10 years old, his father died of blood poisoning. This was a great hardship on on the family. His mother had no choice but to farm out her children to others, and their schooling was pretty much over. Her two daughters went to live with separate elderly people in the community as caretakers, companions, and servants for their room and board. The boys went to live with and work as farm hands for local farmers.
Tom was taken in by Edgar and Nellie Thurman. They had several children and Tom became very close to the family. They treated him kindly. They were Christians and active in the small Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Missouri, and Tom attended church with them. There, he dedicated his life to Christ at an early age, and lived a Christian life every after that. Tom also worked for Edgar Thurman's brother, Ora and Dessie Thurman, who also lived in Elmer, Missouri. Tom was listed in this household in the 1940 census.
Tom was drafted into the Army in 1941. He served as a private and was honorably discharged. Back at home, he learned of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was called back into service in 1942 and served until 1945. He was stationed in many different places in the United States, but did not go overseas. He was in the Military Police and guarded German prisoners of war in the US. He separated at Fort Crockett, Texas.
During the time he was away in the Army, a young girl back home who went to his church and was a cousin of the Thurmans with whom he stayed, asked Tom's sister Myrtle Dennis one Sunday for his address. That girl wrote to Tom, and he wrote back. Soon, love blossomed.
During one of his furloughs back home, on November 12, 1943, he married that girl. She was LuVella Thurman, daughter of Ira and Della (Wilson) Thurman of rural Atlanta, Missouri. But it wasn't just that easy. LuVella's father did not think this young man was right for his daughter. Knowing he was opposed to a marriage, LuVella enlisted the help of a cousin and his wife. They picked her up for church on this particular Friday night, and she told her parents she was spending the night with the cousin (which was true). She wore two dresses. The outer one was covering up her royal blue velvet wedding dress. After church, they went to the pastor's home and were married. When word reached her father of the marriage, he came with a gun. His cousins, one of whom was Edgar Thurman, talked him down and he finally went home.
Tom and LuVella had a short honeymoon at her cousin's home, then went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where LuVella was to live with another cousin Mary (Holman) Carlock while Tom returned to the Army. LuVella got a job in a candy factory there.
LuVella finally returned home, but only after her father agreed to accept her new husband, and all turned out well. Tom was discharged and came home to farming. In 1945 Tom and LuVella lost a child to a miscarriage. In 1947 they had a baby girl whom they named Blytha Onetha Dennis. This was to be their only child.
In 1950, they moved to Kirksville, Missouri, where there were better work opportunities. They lived on a small 5 acre farm with LuVella's parents at the south edge of town. Tom worked on a section gang for the railroad for a time. He also helped clear land for a newly developing State Park called Thousand Hills, and also clearing land for the REA electrical lines. For many years he worked for the Mitchell Dairy in Kirksville, then as a custodian for the Osteopathic College, and the Laughlin Hospital in Kirksville.
They attended the First Assembly of God Church in Kirksville, Mo., but also returned often to the Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Mo.
LuVella died in 1980 and Tom in 1999 and are both buried at Maple Hills.
- Written by their daughter, Blytha (Dennis) Ellis
Tom was the son of:
Chester Willard Dennis 1874-1923, who was born in Illinois
Meda June (Richardson) Dennis 1877-1950, who was born in Missouri
Tom's parents were married on January 1, 1903 in Elmer, Macon County, Missouri, and lived in the Elmer area all their lives.
Tom had 6 siblings:
Della Mae Dennis 1903-1989
Calvin Louis Dennis 1905-1933
Henry Willard Dennis 1907-1907
Myrtle Evelyn Dennis 1908-1991
Everett Lawrence Dennis 1910-2002
John W. Dennis 1914-1993
The Dennis home place was located on J. Highway east of Elmer, Missouri. Tom and his siblings attended the Bunch country school east of their home. When Tom was only 10 years old, his father died of blood poisoning. This was a great hardship on on the family. His mother had no choice but to farm out her children to others, and their schooling was pretty much over. Her two daughters went to live with separate elderly people in the community as caretakers, companions, and servants for their room and board. The boys went to live with and work as farm hands for local farmers.
Tom was taken in by Edgar and Nellie Thurman. They had several children and Tom became very close to the family. They treated him kindly. They were Christians and active in the small Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Missouri, and Tom attended church with them. There, he dedicated his life to Christ at an early age, and lived a Christian life every after that. Tom also worked for Edgar Thurman's brother, Ora and Dessie Thurman, who also lived in Elmer, Missouri. Tom was listed in this household in the 1940 census.
Tom was drafted into the Army in 1941. He served as a private and was honorably discharged. Back at home, he learned of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was called back into service in 1942 and served until 1945. He was stationed in many different places in the United States, but did not go overseas. He was in the Military Police and guarded German prisoners of war in the US. He separated at Fort Crockett, Texas.
During the time he was away in the Army, a young girl back home who went to his church and was a cousin of the Thurmans with whom he stayed, asked Tom's sister Myrtle Dennis one Sunday for his address. That girl wrote to Tom, and he wrote back. Soon, love blossomed.
During one of his furloughs back home, on November 12, 1943, he married that girl. She was LuVella Thurman, daughter of Ira and Della (Wilson) Thurman of rural Atlanta, Missouri. But it wasn't just that easy. LuVella's father did not think this young man was right for his daughter. Knowing he was opposed to a marriage, LuVella enlisted the help of a cousin and his wife. They picked her up for church on this particular Friday night, and she told her parents she was spending the night with the cousin (which was true). She wore two dresses. The outer one was covering up her royal blue velvet wedding dress. After church, they went to the pastor's home and were married. When word reached her father of the marriage, he came with a gun. His cousins, one of whom was Edgar Thurman, talked him down and he finally went home.
Tom and LuVella had a short honeymoon at her cousin's home, then went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where LuVella was to live with another cousin Mary (Holman) Carlock while Tom returned to the Army. LuVella got a job in a candy factory there.
LuVella finally returned home, but only after her father agreed to accept her new husband, and all turned out well. Tom was discharged and came home to farming. In 1945 Tom and LuVella lost a child to a miscarriage. In 1947 they had a baby girl whom they named Blytha Onetha Dennis. This was to be their only child.
In 1950, they moved to Kirksville, Missouri, where there were better work opportunities. They lived on a small 5 acre farm with LuVella's parents at the south edge of town. Tom worked on a section gang for the railroad for a time. He also helped clear land for a newly developing State Park called Thousand Hills, and also clearing land for the REA electrical lines. For many years he worked for the Mitchell Dairy in Kirksville, then as a custodian for the Osteopathic College, and the Laughlin Hospital in Kirksville.
They attended the First Assembly of God Church in Kirksville, Mo., but also returned often to the Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Mo.
LuVella died in 1980 and Tom in 1999 and are both buried at Maple Hills.
- Written by their daughter, Blytha (Dennis) Ellis
Chester Willard Dennis 1874-1923, who was born in Illinois
Meda June (Richardson) Dennis 1877-1950, who was born in Missouri
Tom's parents were married on January 1, 1903 in Elmer, Macon County, Missouri, and lived in the Elmer area all their lives.
Tom had 6 siblings:
Della Mae Dennis 1903-1989
Calvin Louis Dennis 1905-1933
Henry Willard Dennis 1907-1907
Myrtle Evelyn Dennis 1908-1991
Everett Lawrence Dennis 1910-2002
John W. Dennis 1914-1993
The Dennis home place was located on J. Highway east of Elmer, Missouri. Tom and his siblings attended the Bunch country school east of their home. When Tom was only 10 years old, his father died of blood poisoning. This was a great hardship on on the family. His mother had no choice but to farm out her children to others, and their schooling was pretty much over. Her two daughters went to live with separate elderly people in the community as caretakers, companions, and servants for their room and board. The boys went to live with and work as farm hands for local farmers.
Tom was taken in by Edgar and Nellie Thurman. They had several children and Tom became very close to the family. They treated him kindly. They were Christians and active in the small Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Missouri, and Tom attended church with them. There, he dedicated his life to Christ at an early age, and lived a Christian life every after that. Tom also worked for Edgar Thurman's brother, Ora and Dessie Thurman, who also lived in Elmer, Missouri. Tom was listed in this household in the 1940 census.
Tom was drafted into the Army in 1941. He served as a private and was honorably discharged. Back at home, he learned of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was called back into service in 1942 and served until 1945. He was stationed in many different places in the United States, but did not go overseas. He was in the Military Police and guarded German prisoners of war in the US. He separated at Fort Crockett, Texas.
During the time he was away in the Army, a young girl back home who went to his church and was a cousin of the Thurmans with whom he stayed, asked Tom's sister Myrtle Dennis one Sunday for his address. That girl wrote to Tom, and he wrote back. Soon, love blossomed.
During one of his furloughs back home, on November 12, 1943, he married that girl. She was LuVella Thurman, daughter of Ira and Della (Wilson) Thurman of rural Atlanta, Missouri. But it wasn't just that easy. LuVella's father did not think this young man was right for his daughter. Knowing he was opposed to a marriage, LuVella enlisted the help of a cousin and his wife. They picked her up for church on this particular Friday night, and she told her parents she was spending the night with the cousin (which was true). She wore two dresses. The outer one was covering up her royal blue velvet wedding dress. After church, they went to the pastor's home and were married. When word reached her father of the marriage, he came with a gun. His cousins, one of whom was Edgar Thurman, talked him down and he finally went home.
Tom and LuVella had a short honeymoon at her cousin's home, then went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where LuVella was to live with another cousin Mary (Holman) Carlock while Tom returned to the Army. LuVella got a job in a candy factory there.
LuVella finally returned home, but only after her father agreed to accept her new husband, and all turned out well. Tom was discharged and came home to farming. In 1945 Tom and LuVella lost a child to a miscarriage. In 1947 they had a baby girl whom they named Blytha Onetha Dennis. This was to be their only child.
In 1950, they moved to Kirksville, Missouri, where there were better work opportunities. They lived on a small 5 acre farm with LuVella's parents at the south edge of town. Tom worked on a section gang for the railroad for a time. He also helped clear land for a newly developing State Park called Thousand Hills, and also clearing land for the REA electrical lines. For many years he worked for the Mitchell Dairy in Kirksville, then as a custodian for the Osteopathic College, and the Laughlin Hospital in Kirksville.
They attended the First Assembly of God Church in Kirksville, Mo., but also returned often to the Assembly of God Church in Elmer, Mo.
LuVella died in 1980 and Tom in 1999 and are both buried at Maple Hills.
- Written by their daughter, Blytha (Dennis) Ellis
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