Bobby Denning

It seems fitting that Bobby Ray Denning passed on Valentine's day because to was so full of love. Whether you needed a smile, a kind word, a hug, or a vegetable from his garden, he was always ready to help in any way he could. He never took anything for granted and always believed that he was blessed. He came from humble beginnings in Benson, NC born to farming parents. They could not give him material riches, but they provided a wealth of love that he never doubted. He was the youngest of seven children and was doted on by his siblings as the baby of the family. He graduated from Cleveland High School and, because of a door-to-door recruiter for DeVry Technical Institute visiting his parents, he went on to school there and changed the trajectory of his life. Afterwards, he enlisted in the army and was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia performing field radio repair. He then used the GI Bill, to pay for college at North Carolina State University where he graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree and was on the cross-country running team. Shortly after college, he married Frances Penland. He went on to work for General Electric in Syracuse, NY and Myrtle Beach, SC where his daughter, Heather Marion, was born. His career with GE brought him to Phoenix, AZ where his son, Robert Edward was born. His division was sold to Honeywell where we worked for many years and he was frequently recognized for his valuable contributions. He earned his Master's Degree from St. Mary's College while working there. Honeywell is also where he reignited his passion for long distance running. Dr Art Mollen came to the campus one day to encourage employees to get physically fit. Dr. Mollen brought along Tex Ernhardt, a car dealer known for his "that ain't no bull" TV commercials, who had recently finished his first marathon. At that moment, Bob decided if Tex can do it, I can certainly do it. He do it he did finishing dozens of marathons, including the Boston marathon, with his best time being just over three hours (that's running close to a seven-minute mile for 26 miles). After retiring from Honeywell, he opened his own computer sales and repair store where he worked until he retired in 2000. They then moved to Lake Gaston, NC, where they built and designed their own home and enjoyed many hours gardening and floating in his pontoon boat on the lake. Because of the remoteness of the location and Fran's medical needs, they moved to Cartersville, GA which also allowed them to be closer to their daughter and cherished granddaughters, Emerson and Carson. Bob planted a vineyard in his backyard there and got very good at winemaking. Fran's care and the house got to be too much to handle so they relocated back to Phoenix and moved to the Beatitudes Campus to be near his son. Throughout their marriage, Bob and Fran could be found hold hands, singing a made-up song, or going to see the latest James Bond movie. Bobby was an amazing caregiver for Frances as she struggled with health issues. They remained married and unwaveringly in love until she passed in 2018. Among Bob's many interests he loved to hike, when he discovered that a neighbor who recently moved in, Lynn Turner, liked to hike too, he invited her on a hike that developed into a loving relationship. They went on many trips to San Diego and Flagstaff and shared many laughs, hugs and dances in the kitchen. Lynn was an amazing caregiver to Bob as his health declined. He will be incredibly missed by his family and the many friends and neighbors he made along the way.