Denny Wilson

Life Reflection

“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.”   - II Timothy 2:11, KJV

Denny Wilson, 80, died unexpectedly on September 7, 2023 at 4:39 a.m. at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina. Denny, the third child of five children, was born on February 9, 1943 to Robert Lee Wilson, Sr. (JP) and Louise Tucker Wilson (Weda) in Pinopolis, SC. His grandmother, Mariah Brown, was the midwife who delivered him at their home.

In grade school his teacher didn’t like his name, Dent Harvey, and started calling him Denny. Later in life, he legally changed his name to Denny Wilson. Denny graduated in 1960 from Berkeley Training High School in Moncks Corner, SC. While in high school, he was given the nickname “Brick”, because he was an outstanding football player. He was a running back, and when other teams tackled him he stood strong like a brick wall. Following graduation, he attended Claflin College in Orangeburg, SC. While in college, he married a hometown girl, Queen Guest, and they moved to Brooklyn, New York where they were blessed with a daughter, Carmella.

Denny had many jobs in his lifetime. While in high school, he was a school bus drive and bag boy at the grocery store. He worked as a clerk and then was promoted as a manager at a liquor store in Brooklyn, NY. He started his career with the City of New York as a Correctional Officer, NYPD Officer and retired in 2006 as Supervising Inspector for New York City Housing Preservation & Development (HPD). In his position, he helped many get hired within HPD. 

Denny received many awards and accolades throughout his career with the City of New York. The award that stood out with his peers that demonstrated he would go above and beyond for people was the title of Lead Paint Sampling Technician because it saved many lives. Denny believed in “Top of the Line” in his selections of gold jewelry, fashion and cars. He thought he was debonair. Denny loved to show how much muscle his cars had. He loved fast cars. NASCAR and The Indy 500 had nothing on him with his black Mustang and now his white Camaro. He had many hobbies: fishing, cooking and sports. He was a people person and loved to socialize. He never met a stranger that didn’t love him after their first interaction.

While in New York, he helped to organize a community garden where he was proud of his vegetables that he grew, which included collard greens, tomatoes, cabbage and much more. In the garden, the men would play cards and tell “tales”. He brought those same traits from Brooklyn back to Moncks Corner. You could pass by his home and look on the back porch, and there were always visitors.

He loved to cook and enjoyed when someone complimented him on his cooking. His daughter gave him the name of Community Cook, because he cooked and fed his visitors. Tuesday nights, he was on Wall Street and Thursday nights on Perry Hill. This was his way of socializing as he did in New York. They would have diverse topics of conversation and watch or talk sports. He was a diehard New York Giants fan and continued to be a diehard fan even when he was surrounded by Dallas Cowboys or Carolina Panthers fans. He enjoyed other sports as well. He was an avid supporter of the University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball team. He and his life partner, Rose Jenkins, traveled to many professional football games. 

The expression, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, applied to Denny. Although he was flashy, flamboyant, loved to socialize, tell tales and jokes; Denny was serious about his faith in Jesus Christ. At a young age, he and his family attended Wesley United Methodist Church in Pinopolis, SC where he became a member there. While in New York, he joined the Church of the Open Door Inc. and was President of the Usher Board, a member of the Men’s Choir and was ordained a Deacon. He delivered the Word at times on Men’s Sunday. Upon returning to South Carolina, he reconnected with Wesley United Methodist Church. As he matured, he developed a deeper and stronger relationship with the Lord. His favorite songs were: “I’ve got a feeling everything’s gonna be Alright”, “There a leak in this Old Building” and like his father’s favorite song, “I Learned how to lean and depend on Jesus.”

Even though he was a giving, kind hearted person, he would check you in a minute. His saying was, “What’s the number to the corporate office?” or “I’m retired and I have nothing but time” and when he called, he got results. He was overly protective of his family, especially the women in the family. 

Denny was preceded in death by: daughters, Carmella Wilson Summers and Sharon Carroll; a son, Patrick Hickman; his parents; a sister, Marion J. Wilson Bryant (Tootsie); brothers, Robert Lee Wilson, Jr. (Buddy) and John Wilson; and mother of his children, Dee Richards.

Surviving are: his children, Denny “DJ” Wilson, Jr. of Jacksonville, NC, D’Juana Richards of Brooklyn, NY, Debra Richards of Glen Burnie, MD, Jeffrey Richards (Deneise) of Boca Raton, FL, Lonnell Richards of Queens, NY and Ronnie Richards of Philadelphia, PA; bonus daughter, Stephanie Allen of Columbia, SC; grandchildren, Shannon Carroll-Small (Kaheen) and Michael Carroll of Brooklyn, NY, Taliyah Gethers of Moncks Corner, SC (who grew up in the home) and 12 other wonderful grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; life partner, Rose Jenkins of North Charleston, SC; sister, Madelin Joyce Gibson-Guy of Moncks Corner, SC; sisters-in-law, Betty Wilson and Annie Lee Wilson both of Moncks Corner, SC; aunt, Bertha Lee Wilson of Moncks Corner, SC; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. 

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 12 o'clock Noon, at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1008 Sugar Hill Drive, Moncks Corner, SC. Burial will take place in Old Nazareth Cemetery, Pinopolis, SC. Viewing will be on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Wesley UM Church.