Marshall Houston Denning
Funeral Services were held Thursday for Marshall Houston Denning, 82, who died Tuesday at Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington. Services were held at Morrison Funeral Home Chapel with Jack Johnson officiating. Burial followed at Center Ridge Cemetery.

A lifetime resident of Bryson, Denning was born December 29, 1901 to Sam Houston and Mary E. Hill Denning. On September 23, 1925 in Bryson he married Roberta Bennett.

Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Gene Qualls of Euless and Mildred Harrison of Arlington; six grandchildren; one great grandchild; two sisters, Ruby Cowden of Graham and Minnie Coley of Jacksboro; three brothers, Luther Denning of Bryson, Toby Denning and Douglas Denning both of Graham.

Marshall Houston "Huse" Denning

Houston Denning was born December 29, 1901 on a farm South of Bryson, Texas. Houston was one of thirteen children born to Samuel Houston Denning and Mary Emmaline Hill Denning.
Houston married Roberta Ann Bennett on September 23, 1925 in Bryson, Texas.
Houston and Roberta had two childred; 1) Lois Gene Denning Qualls and 2) Mildred Ann Denning Harrison.
Houston passed away on May 22, 1990. Funeral services were held in Morrison Funeral Home Chapel in Graham, Texas with burial following at Center Ridge Cemetery.

Houston and Roberta Denning Family Story (as told by Mildred Ann Denning Harrison)

Times were hard in the early 40's. A world war was raging, certain items were rationed and jobs were scarce. One of nine boys, Daddy (Houston) was very familiar with farming, fencing and farm animals. He was not afraid of work and performed day labor.

** Sam and Hazel Shanafelt had a large ranching operation (4,700 acres) at Bryson and Jermyn, Texas. Sam was killed, shot by a policeman, and Hazel asked Daddy to take care of the ranching operations. We had housing and a salary. Hazel covered all other expenses. Life was good.

Mother sewed, raised chickens and turkeys. They milked cows and sold cream, eggs and butter. We had a large cellar and about an acre cultivated for a garden. Across the creek was the corn patch. It was here that Daddy had watermelons, cantalopes, squash, cucumbers and okra. My sister, Genie, and I helped care for the garden. Later, we helped pick and prepare vegetables for canning. The cellar was full by mid-Summer. Mother had asthma but she worked hard alongside Daddy.

Mother ordered 125 baby chickens every March from Harmon's Hatchery in Keller, Texas. Mother's Daddy, Orton Bennett, Sr., gave her two turkey gobblers and two hens so she raised turkeys from hatching eggs. Note: We had fried chicken on our birthdays and turkey hen and dressing at Thanksgiving. The others would be sold.

Daddy had a hog pen that you would come across before you could cross the creek. Four hogs - two of which were sows. We were forbidden to go near the hog pen. According to Daddy the hogs would "eat our legs off".
In the Spring when piglets arrived Daddy would take us down to the pen to see them. Once the weather got cold and stayed cold Daddy would clean out the smoke house. We knew it was hog killing time. Mom's sister and husband would come early to help. Mother was always up late the night before making (sewing) sausage sacks.

We were a happy family. No television, no refrigerator, no electricity, no bathroom nor no washing machine. I thought we were rich.
On Monday's Mom washed clothes in a wash pot in which a fire was built underneath.

Story told by S.G. Shanafelt - February 7, 2017

** I remember my Grandmother Hazel and my Daddy, Arthur (Shawnie) speak often and highly of the Dennings. My Grandmother's notes: "When Sam died Houston Denning was living on the farm west of town and helping Sam with the cattle, so I asked him to continue on, which he did. I had to learn everything, so I went out with Houston and learned how to feed, where to feed, helped to doctor for screw worms and got acquainted with things in general. Houston has been a great help, he is honest and interested in his work, and does things the way he thinks will be the least expense to me and I appreciate it. I do not know just how many cattle we had at the time but we were never stocked to capacity because the grass was not as good as it should be. We did not know then how to make our pastures pay like we do today. I do not know just when Houston decided to move to Seymore. Orlin Ainsworth moved in the house on the farm where Houston had been living and Orlin did take care of the cattle when he died, for we were in World War II. Ubern Ainsworth worked for me a long time and he is one of the best cowmen in this part of the country. At different times, Joe Ainsworth, then Floyd Pevehouse worked for us, then Houston came back and he has been helping me ever since." So, yes Debra, our families loved and respected each other.