Dateline: Bethel, NC

Mrs. Edna Raye Sutton Dennis of Bethel died on Monday, June 14th at 9:30 in the morning.

Mrs. Dennis was born in Lenoir County to Mabel Rouse Sutton and Thomas Henry Sutton on March 18, 1927.  They were a farm family, and Edna Raye and her eight siblings worked hard to make their farm prosper.

When she was 17, Edna Raye entered nurses' training at Lenoir General Hospital as part of the Cadet Nurses' Corps and thus began a completely new life in what she considered the "big city" of Kinston.  Despite the normal fears and self-consciousness of a young girl entering a new world, Edna Raye loved the training and carried with her throughout her life the memories of starched uniforms, of the enormous care taken with each patient, of blessing with her prayers a stillborn child, of weeping by the side of a loved patient at death. Unbeknownst to her, the doctors entered Edna Raye in the Miss Kinston pageant, and, though she had never even seen a beauty pageant, and had little idea what would be involved, she worked her eight-hour night shift, went to the pageant, and won.

In 1947 Edna Raye successfully completed nursing school, passed the testing requirements, and earned the title of Registered Nurse. She took enormous pride in being a nurse and worked for over fifty years in hospitals, at the Bethel Clinic, and as a private nurse for friends.

During her training, she met Edward Earl Dennis, who was just out of the Marine Corps, and after a whirlwind courtship, they were married.  They eventually settled in Bethel, and it was there that they raised their four children and made a life together for 53 years until Edward Earl's untimely death. Towards the end of her life, Edna Raye spoke of the things she was most proud of: being a den mother for her son, Ed's boy scout troop; serving on the first board of Hospice of East Carolina and working as a hospice volunteer; singing for 10 years in the Chancel Choir of Bethel Methodist Church; and serving as an Altered Guild Communion Steward for many years. Edna Raye loved to garden, spending hours among her flowers, and in her later years, she took great joy in her beautiful koi pond.

Mrs. Dennis was preceded in death by her cherished husband Edward Earl Dennis and her beloved son-in-law, Dr. James Van Taylor III, and she is survived by her two sisters, Ruth Sutton Sexton and Betty Sutton Arnette; by her son, Edward Earl Dennis Jr., Ed's wife, Miriam, and their son, Cameron; by her daughter Denice Sutton Dennis and her children, Lindsay, Trey, and Sarah Grace; her daughter, Pat Dennis Taylor and her son, Van; her daughter Donna Marie Dennis Trostli, her husband, Robert, and their daughter, Rachel; and by her five great-grandchildren Kyle Spencer and Raegan Sutton Harris, children of Lindsay; Garrett Anthony and Jade Amelia Gillert, children of Rachel; and Graham Spencer Styons, son of Trey.

A graveside service will be held at Bethel Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 17th.  In lieu of flowers, contributions made be made to Bethel United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 207, Bethel, NC 27812, or to a hospice of your choice.

Walker Funeral Home of Williamston is serving the Dennis family.