Remembering Joanne Dudley Denny: A Life Dedicated to Family and Service

Joanne Dudley Denny, born on August 18, 1939, in Dickson, Tennessee, passed away on June 2, 2026. She spent her childhood in Dickson and became a devoted member of the First Baptist Church there at just 14 years old.

She excelled academically, graduating as salutatorian from Dickson High School in 1957, where she was active in various clubs and sports, even serving as homecoming queen.

Joanne earned her nursing degree from Baptist Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1960 and started her career shortly thereafter. She later attended Oklahoma Baptist University, where she met her future husband, Glenn Denny, whom she married on September 2, 1961.

The couple’s journey included a seven-year military career that took them to various locations, including Key West and California, before settling in Pensacola, Florida, in 1969. They adopted two sons, Scott Douglas and Bryan David, during their time as a military family.

After Glenn transitioned from military service to education, Joanne continued her nursing career in the Pensacola area. She worked at Bay Crest Nursing Home, West Florida Hospital Maternity Unit, and later as a public health nurse in Santa Rosa County until her retirement in 1997.

Joanne was a long-time member of First Baptist Church in Milton and cherished her family, including her two daughters-in-law and six grandchildren. She is survived by her sister Barbara Whitley and brothers Bob and Wayne Dudley.

A funeral service will be held on June 11, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Milton, with visitation starting at 10:30 a.m. and the service at 11:30 a.m. A committal service will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola.