Clara Faye Dennis

Clara Faye Dennis, daughter of the late George Nicholas and Velma Irene (Worsham) Durney, was born September 7, 1948, in Rawlins, Wyoming, and departed this life March 18, 2022, at her home, near Mountain Grove, Missouri. She was 73 years, 6 months, and 9 days of age.

As a child, Clara Faye enjoyed riding horses, especially “Dusty”, and playing with her dog, who she taught to do tricks on the horse. One of her most favorite stories is riding her horse and carrying the American flag at Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. During her high school years she was a cheer leader and a member of the Mountain Grove High School Panther Pride Band. She was known as the "Star Twirler", winning multiple competitions and she taught many younger girls the art of twirling. Clara Faye was a MGHS graduate with the class of 1967.

In 1965, Clara Faye started dating the love of her life, Larry Dennis, and they later married in November of 1967, while Clara Faye was attending Blue Bonnet Beauty School. She and Larry lived in Springfield, Missouri, and later moved back to Mountain Grove, starting their family. Clara Faye spent many hours in the garden, cooking, taking meals to the hay field, feeding calves, and running kids everywhere.

After the birth of her children she spent many long hours attending all kinds of events, family functions and parties. As her children grew she opened her own business, The Party Hut. Through this business “Daisy” the clown was born. She had a great time as “Daisy”, going to different activities surprising people at work and delivering special gifts to kids at school and the elderly at the nursing home. Clara Faye spent several years enjoying square dancing as well as tap and jazz. Later in life, she became known as “NeNe” to her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many of their friends. She loved to sit and crochet, making many wedding, baby, and graduation quilts for her family and friends.

Besides her parents, Clara Faye was preceded in death by one brother, Gerre Durney, her mother-in-law, Lola Dennis, and one brother-in-law, Kenny Ault.

Clara Faye is survived by her husband of 54 years, Larry Dennis of the home, children, Lori Hyde and husband, Mike, of Mountain Grove, James Dennis and wife, Pamela, of Mount Vernon, Missouri, and Greg Rhodes and wife, Kristie, of Ozark, Missouri, six grandchildren, Preston Jarrett and wife, Brittany, Hali Shaffer and husband, Luke, Tristan Dennis, Payton Dennis, Jaxen Holman, and Rileigh Holman, four great-grandchildren, Boone Shaffer, Charlotte "Charlie" Shaffer, Parker Jarrett, and Vann Jarrett, one brother, Steve Armstrong and wife, Valerie, one sister, Leatha Ault, two sisters-in-law, Marylin Marah and husband, Larry, and Denise Green and husband, Ron, as well as many other relatives and friends who will miss her dearly.