Leonard D. Denney

Chico~ Leonard D. Denney, 88, went to be with our Lord on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 in Fort Worth.

Funeral will be held 2:00 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2022 at Zion Valley Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Chico with burial in Pleasant Grove # 3. Family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.

Rev. Barney Hudson will officiate. Pallbearers are to include Lane Akin, Craig Johnson, John Pellizzari, Cavin Riggs, Randy Eyster, and David Walker.

Leonard was born on April 27, 1933 to Hurston P. and Ruth M. (Redwine) Denney. He was united in marriage to Angela M. Smith on March 8, 1997 in Chico. Leonard learned to be a hard worker from an early age as the son of a farmer. Leonard was a veteran and served our Country in the United States Army including 1 year, 1 month, and 17 days overseas in Japan, Korea and Hawaii. After his service he worked for General Dynamics as a machinist from 1956-1959, then he worked at Gifford Hill and was Maintenance Foreman from 1959-1975, He owned and operated Denney’s Exxon Station from 1975-1981 in Chico. From there Leonard worked as a Repairman and heavy equipment operator for Chapman Engineering in Houston. It was around 1982 he began his career in law enforcement upon graduating from North Central Texas Regional Police Academy in Arlington. Leonard retired as constable for Wise County Sheriff’s Office after many years of service. His law enforcement career was impressive first with Bridgeport Police Department as Police Chief from 1984-1987 and then with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy and Investigator. Leonard was our Wise County Constable for many years thereafter, his service with our County spanned almost 40 years. His commitment to serve his fellow officers and residents of Wise County was second to none. Leonard was a Corporal in the United States Army; a 32 Degree Mason and a member of Chico Masonic Lodge No. 508, a member of Decatur Lodge No. 447, Alvord Chapter & Council; Eastern Star; VFW; Fort Worth Scottish Rite; and Elder at Zion Valley Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He loved his family, friends, children, and especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and enjoyed spending time with them all.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Alva Dean Dodd; his brother, Melvin Denney, who passed at birth; and his brother, Harold Denney.

Those left behind to cherish his memory are wife of 24 years, Angela Denney of Chico; his daughter Peggy Denney Ainsworth and husband Rodney of Bryson; his son, Bobby Denney of Bowie; his step-children, Maria Bishop and husband Daniel of Florida, Tanya Hanks and husband Jon of Nevada, and Ronnie Gerhart, Jr. of Chico; his grandchildren, Lindsay Michaelis, Stephanie Bradley Miller and husband, Derek, Jessica Lynn Turner and husband Barry; Leslie Robbins, Coltan Denney, Raylon Hailey, Dameon Johnson and wife Sarah, Alana Crockett, Marina Crockett, Gabriel Gerhart, Florence Hart, Rita Hart, Atlas Gerhart, and Kayson Gerhart; 4 great-grandchildren; numerous extended family members; a host of friends and law enforcement family.

Hawkins Funeral Home

(940) 683-2211

www.hawkinsfuneralhome.com

Autobiography as written by Leonard Denney

I Leonard Denney was born April 27, 1933. I was born in the country about four miles East of Chico. We lived in a three-room house and my father was a farmer. I spent most of my time playing with my dog “Rex”. Rex and I were very close friends, in fact I would not be here today if it were not for him.

I was playing in the pasture one day when one of the mules my dad had to farm with got after me and almost pawed me to death. Rex came running out and got between me and the mule and kept him away until my father came and got me. From that day on we were even closer friends.

When I became four years old, I started going to the field with my father.  I would walk along and watch the team pulling the plows.  I really did like to plow by myself but I could not hold the plow so my father wouldn’t let me.

At the age of six, I was plowing along by my father’s side. We had two teams and two sets of plows. I did not mind working because it was a new experience for me. My dad told me it would make my muscles and I wanted to be a boxer so I worked hard. Later on in the same year I started school. I went to a small county school at West Academy. We had two teachers and about twenty students. The next year I transferred to Chico Grade School. There I was better satisfied. We had more in one class than in the whole school where I started.

I went through the second and third grades at Chico. I never had a fourth-grade book. They moved me from the third to the fifth. The reason was because Texas had added another year to schools. Instead of eleven years, we now have twelve.

I went back to West Academy for my fifth-grade schooling. We had only one teacher and he was rooming with my parents. This made it easy for me because, if I had any trouble with my work, I could just ask him. I would ask questions I should have looked up. My report card always looked good that year though. I entered the sixth grade at Chico again because my parents said I wasn’t learning anything where I was. I went to Chico during the seventh and eighth grades. I entered high school and began playing basketball. I did not make the starting team my freshman year but got to play a lot. The subjects were hard for me but I managed to make passing grades. My sophomore year I was on the main team and really did enjoy playing. I was also pretty good in track so I went out for the track and field team. I was rather surprised when I was put on four different teams. I went to the county meet and came back with four ribbons. Of course they weren’t all first-place ribbons but I was proud of each one.

My junior year was much the same as my Freshman and Sophomore years. I was going all the time I was on several dairy judging teams. My favorite subject was agriculture.  I could understand it much better than American history or than something that happened hundreds of years ago. Things like that just don’t interest me.

My Senior year was the best year of my entire schooling. I was in several offices which gave me a feeling of responsibility. I was snapshot editor for the school annual. Best All Around Boy in High School. I was president of the F.F.A Chapter and also president of Area 5 which covers several schools. This I think was worth a lot to me. I had terrible stage fright until one night I was invited to attend a Future Farmers of America meeting in Arlington, Texas. I went and when I arrived the principal of the school met me and asked me to take the Presidents place because he was sick. I hesitated but finally accepted when he said only a few would be there. I went up behind the speakers stand to get familiar with the place when someone closed the curtain. We got busy and never noticed who was coming in. The time came to start so we all took our places. The curtain opened and I got the shock of my life. There were about Eighteen Hundred people out in front of me. I said to myself that I had to go through with it and I did. After that it does not bother me nearly as much to get up in front of people and say whatever it might be. I played on all the ball teams and ran all the track I was allowed.

I finished high school in 1951. Graduated from Chico High School with seventeen- and one-half credits. I was farming and going to school both so I had to work hard and catch up with my work. I made about five hundred dollars profit that year so I bought a car. It was a 1947 ford. It was light gray and really pretty. I was really proud of it because I always wanted a car.

When the crop was gathered, I went to work at Convair Aircraft Plant in Fort Worth, Texas.  I had moved to Chico and was driving back and forth to work. This job lasted for 2 years. At this time they had a big lay off and I was among the group. I just looked for two weeks then went to work tying steel for construction work. I did this for six weeks and decided I didn’t like it so I went back to Fort Worth and put in my application for a job as a machinist. Two days went by and on the third day I received a letter telling me when to report. I worked as a machinist building parts for experimental planes and rockets.  I continued to work at this job until I received my notice to report for the service. I checked out on May 2, 1953 and went to see some of my relatives before going into the Army.

On May 20, 1953, I left from Bowie, Texas and went to Dallas where I was sworn into the Army. After I was sworn in, I was sent to Fort Sam Houston and given my field Army issue of clothing.  They kept me there for two weeks pulling details. Finally I was shipped to Fort Bliss, Texas near El Paso where I took my basic training. Sixteen weeks of pure misery. They were really generous though, and gave me a ten-day leave. I didn’t have to report back to Fort Bliss but to Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Here I was stationed in a WAC compartment as a clerk for two weeks. Then my orders came in that I was shipping out. I first knew I was going overseas but I was in for a big surprise. I was stationed at 79th and Eueing Street in Chicago on the banks of Lake Michigan. After a month, I acquired the job of post exchange manager. I really worked hard at this job because I liked it. I also played a lot of football while stationed in Chicago.

After five months, some sad news came. A set of orders came down from headquarters bearing my name at the head of the list. It wasn’t really so bad though. I went to Fort Lewis, Washington and was prepared for shipment. I was almost a pin cushion but I didn’t have much choice. We left Seattle Washington on the Marine Lynx fifteen weary days on the ocean. Finally we docked in Sasebo, Japan. Most of my buddies went on to Korea. I was sent to a chemical and radiological specialist school in Iwo Jima, where the Japanese naval academy was located during World War II. I visited Hiroshima where one of the atomic bombs was dropped.

After completing the school, I was sent to Korea. This was something really different. We lived in tents and existed like people of the stone ages. While in Korea, I worked in the personnel office as a clerk typist. After being in Korea for five months, the division I was with moved to Hawaii. This was a good move for the men of the 25th Division. Hawaii was a very beautiful place. I had a 35 mm camera and took pictures as a hobby and pastime. While on duty I was a personnel administrative specialist. This job I was proud of also because I was just about my own boss.

My tour with the Army was just about over now and I was thinking about going to school. I left Hawaii the fifteenth of April and came to Fort Bliss, Texas and received my release. After I was free again, I just loafed and took life easy for a while. I am now going to Decatur Baptist College and farming a farm four miles east of Chico.

Hawkins Funeral Home

www.hawkinsfuneralhome.com

(940) 683-2211