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• Born: Oct. 7, 1926 Johnston, NC
• Died: Feb. 21, 1997 Goldsboro, NC
• Buried in Holly Springs Church Cemetery, Kenly, NC
• Married: Robert "Bob" Earnest Dennison on May 21, 1944

Dot was born Oct. 7, 1926, and died Feb. 21, 1997. She married Robert "Bob" Earnest Dennison on May 21, 1944.
Dot's children with Bob Dennison
George Robert Dennison July 2, 1945 Wilson, NC-March 11, 2011 Canadensis, PA; Buried in Stroudsburg Cemetery, Stroudsburg, PA
Warren Eric Stancil July 21, 1951 Philadelphia, PA-Nov. 4, 1991; Buried in Westminster Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery, PA

Dorothy “Dot” Jane Stancil, born on October 7, 1926, in Johnston, North Carolina, was the youngest of George Ira and Eva Mercer Stancil’s twelve children.

A spirited and pretty girl with black hair and blue eyes, Dot cherished a childhood memory of a doll in a white lace dress, a beloved Christmas gift from her mother. Though the "bone yard" — where dead animals were taken — instilled a youthful fear, she found joy in close friendships with Geraldine Godwin, her niece Rose, and cousin Margaret Stancil.

An active student, Dot played on the girls' basketball team at Glendale High School, graduating in 1943 at the age of 17 after eleven years of schooling.

After graduation, Dot moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, boarding with her brother Emmette and his wife Dessie. Emmette, a highly paid welding instructor at the shipyards, even taught Dot and Rose the trade. It was during this time, working in the same building as her cousin Leah Mercer, that Dot's social life blossomed.

She and Rose frequently dated servicemen at the USO club, where Dot’s path crossed with Robert “Bob” Earnest Dennison.

Contributed

Bob, the son of Letitia “Tish” Dennison, whose family had immigrated from Belfast, Ireland, when Tish was eighteen, had completed the eleventh grade and worked for a chemical company before enlisting in the Army at Fort Meade, Maryland, on January 22, 1942. He later transferred to the Army Air Corps, serving as a mechanic. After dating for two or three months, and following Bob’s re-enlistment, Dot and Bob decided to marry.

On May 21, 1944, they eloped to Dillon, South Carolina, driven by Dot’s brother, Thomas Emmette “Junior” Stancil Jr., and were married by a judge.

They initially lived with Dot's aunt Laura before Dot, newly pregnant, returned home to her mother, spending the summer working in tobacco. The news of their marriage spread by word of mouth, and Dot’s sister Myrtle didn't meet Bob until Dot was pregnant with their first son.

Their son, George Robert Dennison, was born in Wilson, North Carolina, on July 2, 1945. Shortly after their marriage, Bob, a navigator, was involved in a plane crash in France. During his hospitalization, he met a half-brother who revealed that Bob resembled their shared father, a man Bob had never known. In February 1946, Dot and Bob planned a visit to Ralph and Ethel in Florida.

By 1947, they settled in Philadelphia, in the large, three-story Victorian house where Bob had been born, which later became part of the Temple University Campus. Bob, a mechanic, lived close to his mother, Letitia, who came to North Carolina to meet Dot and her grandson, George. Their second son, Warren Eric Dennison, was born in Philadelphia on July 21, 1951.

Bob's military career continued, serving in various capacities with the Air Force. From May 20, 1950, to March 23, 1951, he was with the 512th Medical Group at New Castle Airport in Wilmington, Delaware. He was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, when Warren was born, serving with the Headquarters Airbase Group, then the 305th Medical Squadron, and 306th Airbase Group from March 24, 1951, to August 13, 1951.

From August 14, 1951, to June 16, 1952, he was assigned to the 377th Medical Group at MacDill. Subsequent assignments included the 2267th PP Squadron at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (June 17 to July 16, 1952), and the Headquarters Air Reserve District in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (November 16, 1952, to June 19, 1953).

Despite their growing family, Dot and Bob faced marital challenges. Dot discovered Bob was having his military allotment check sent to another woman, prompting her to consider leaving him. However, during the summer of 1951, Bob took military leave and insisted that Dot's mother, Eva, return with him to Philadelphia. Eva, joined by Dot’s sisters Mamie and Vazelle, and nieces Georgeanne and Renn, made the journey. Enduring a challenging drive through rain and flooded railroad bridges, they finally arrived at Dot’s.

Dot was overjoyed to see her family, and their presence helped her overcome the crisis. The family stayed in their large Victorian house, which had third-floor rooms they rented out.

Mamie even successfully smuggled her black cocker spaniel, Jackie, onto the train for their return trip to North Carolina.

Bob later worked for the Philadelphia Transit Authority as a Bus Superintendent, overseeing mechanics. In 1954, family friend J.G. Renfrow visited Dot and Bob in Philadelphia, attending a Presbyterian Church service with them.

Dot often spent summers in North Carolina with her mother, Eva, and sometimes brought Bob’s mother, Letitia, with her. It was in North Carolina that Warren learned to ride his bicycle, often playfully disregarding his mother’s calls to come inside.

Dot’s profound love for her mother was evident in a poem she wrote upon Eva’s death on April 11, 1962, titled "My Love." The poem beautifully expresses her grief, remembrance, and faith, concluding with a hopeful image of her mother's smiling face.

In 1965, Dot began working at Temple University, steadily advancing to become secretary of the Medical Alumni Association by 1968.

Despite their financial struggles, with Dot’s mother often sending them money, Dot excelled in her career. In the 1970s, Rachel, J.G., and Denise visited Dot and Bob in Philadelphia, staying for a few days.

Dot's dedication and warm demeanor were recognized in 1983 when she received the Temple Appreciation Award, a $200 savings bond, for her eighteen years as secretary of the Medical Alumni Association. The award lauded her as a "University Ambassador of Goodwill" for her cordial and professional atmosphere, sensitivity to others' needs, and caring representation of Temple University.

That same year, she hosted a reception for Temple Alumni at the American College of Surgeons convention in Atlanta. After Bob retired, he volunteered in Medical Communications at the Health Sciences Center at Temple University.

Tragedy often brought Dot and Bob closer. When Dot’s sister Mamie’s husband, Charles Blair, died on November 30, 1990, Dot and Bob offered unwavering love and support. After Dot retired from the Temple University College of Medicine, she and Bob moved to Pikeville, North Carolina, in 1992. They cherished being near family, and Dot meticulously decorated their home with a lifetime's collection of china and glass treasures. These years were filled with happiness as they eagerly assisted aging family members and provided support during the deaths of several siblings.

Dot, a smoker from an early age, developed asthma, requiring an inhaler. After their move to North Carolina, both Dot and Bob’s health declined, leading some family members to wonder if it was due to their allergic reactions to building materials in their new home. They enjoyed local North Carolina fare at Patrick’s Cafeteria in Kenly, often meeting family there. After the funeral of their nephew, Don Gordon Stancil, who died in an auto accident on January 21, 1997, Dot, Bob, Dot’s brother Ralph, his wife Ethel, and daughter Renn ate at Patrick’s. Dot remarked that she wished Rev. Jarrett, who had delivered a fine eulogy for Don, would preach her own funeral.

Dot passed away in Wayne Memorial Hospital on February 20, 1997. Her funeral was held on February 24 at Center Ridge Presbyterian Church, officiated by Rev. W.H. Jarrett, and she was laid to rest in Holly Springs Cemetery in Kenly, North Carolina.

A journey with Dot’s sister Myrtle and Mamie and Hilda to visit Grace and George Dettenmayer near Tampa brought up old memories for Bob. He deliberately drove through a particular town, explaining that he was looking for a woman he had known in Tampa during the war, hinting at past difficulties that had resurfaced.

Bob died on December 19, 1998, from complications of heart disease, specifically myocardial degeneration, at Britthaven Nursing Home in Wilson, North Carolina. He was 84 years old. His funeral, held at Coley Funeral Home Chapel in Kenly, included Masonic rites, and he was buried alongside Dot in Holly Springs Church Cemetery.

— Renn Stancil Hinton