CLYDE ALLEN DENNY

Mr. Clyde Denny, age 82 of DeFuniak Springs passed away Thursday morning in Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast.  He was born May 7, 1939 in DeFuniak Springs,  the son of William Allen Denny and Sara Missouri Miller Denny.  He attended Walton High School and after leaving school joined the United States Army..  Clyde was hurt in parachute training and was medically discharged from the Army because of his injuries.  Many will remember Clyde in  his association with Foremost Milk as a distributor.  One of his stops on his route was Freeport Elementary School where a student, a young girl came to his attention.  Sensing  that she might not have “milk money” he gave her a chocolate milk.  A tradition began and she would always be waiting for him on his delivery days for a chocolate milk.  Weeks, months and years past.  When Clyde’s own daughter was twelve years old  and in middle school in Gloucester, Virginia one of her teachers was absent and a substitute teacher was assigned.  In getting the names of the students, the substitute teacher, noticing the last name Denny, got to talking with Clyde’s daughter and asked if her dad happened to have been the Foremost Milk distributor in North Florida.  Surprisingly, as most  of God’s rewards are, the substitute teacher was that little girl from Freeport Elementary many years ago that Clyde befriended and she related the story to Clyde’s daughter; a story that would have gone untold  had it not been for this teacher, because that is just how Clyde and Ellara are, doing random acts of kindness never expecting to be recognized for their generosity  and acts of goodwill.  Clyde later was employed with the Department of Defense  delivering military  supplies for the government.  In 1996 Clyde and Ellara moved back to DeFuniak Springs and have made their home here since.

Among survivors are his wife Ellara Ingram Denny.  His children, Clyde Allen Denny and wife Kathy, Casey Denny, Mary Thompson and husband Tim, six grandchildren, Joe Strickland and wife Nora, Megan Hamerski and husband Russ, Auburn Forbes, Sterling Forbes, Mikee Brown and Isaac Thompson. His great grandson, Caleb Strickland.    His brother Harold Denny and wife Louise and his sisters-in-law, Frances Swedmark, Nan Everett and Leona Dorriety also survive.

It was Clyde’s wish to be cremated.   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Clyde Denny's memory to one's favorite charity.  The family plans on a private memorial to honor the passing of their husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and brother. Friends and family may go on line to view obituaries, offer condolences and sign the guest register at jerryevansfuneralhome.com