John 'Butch' Smith Dennis

John “Butch” Smith Dennis, the son of Fred Benjamin and Ethel Elsie Dueling Dennis was born February 8, 1928, at his parents’ home in Audubon, Iowa and died December 10, 2011, at the Cass County Homecare/Hospice in Atlantic, Iowa at the age of 83 years, 10 months and 2 days. John was baptized and confirmed at the First United Methodist Church in Audubon. He attended Audubon Community Schools in Audubon, Iowa. After school he was employed as a truck driver for Elmer Carlson Trucking. On April 5, 1958, he was united in marriage to Mary Luzetta Nichols at the Presbyterian Church in Atlantic, Iowa. They lived in the Atlantic area for a short time and then resided in the Brayton and Exira areas most of their lives. John was employed as a truck driver and drove truck for H.P. Jorgensen, Arnold Nielsen, Larry Nielsen, Dwayne Nielsen, Schmidt Masonry and Galen Hansen. Later he purchased his own dump truck and operated his own business. Mary died February 25, 2001. John retired from trucking in 2009. He enjoyed his home in Brayton and then later moved to the Exira Care Center on July 18, 2011. John had been a member of the Army National Guard. When he was younger he enjoyed building and racing stock cars. One of his greatest interest was scrapping metal. John was preceded in death by his wife Mary L. Dennis; 2 infant sons; his parents; his brother and sister: Robert Dennis; Eloise and husband Jens Madsen; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: George Nichols; Marvin and wife Betty Nichols; John Nichols and Ruth Oliver. Survivors include her children: Donna Dennis and Lyle Drees of Exira, Iowa; David and wife April Dennis of Brayton, Iowa; Denise and husband Andy Jago of Clarinda, Iowa; Debbie Wiskus; and John Brannon; his grandchildren: Molly and husband Nathan Yock of Marne, Iowa; Casey Drees and Brady Drees both of Exira; Misty Jago and friend Taylor Wissel both of Shenandoah, Iowa; Jeana Jago of Clarinda; his brother: Carl and wife Betty Dennis of Audubon, Iowa; his special nephew: George and wife Susie Oliver of Logan, Iowa; his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Vera Dennis of Exira; Zetta and husband Robert Stuetelberg of Brayton; Doris Nicholsen of Papillion, Nebraska; Bill Oliver of Harlan, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in the Oakfield Cemetery east of Brayton, Iowa.

Visitation:
The family will meet with friends Tuesday evening at 6:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira.

Service:
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Dwayne Ferguson on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 10:30 A.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira.