Daisy Ruth Dennard

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

A Time to Be Born…

Daisy Ruth “Sue” Dennard was born November 1,1930 to the late Forrest Dennard, Sr. and Johnnie Mae Smith Stephen in Terrell County, Georgia. 

A Time to Serve God…

At an early age, Daisy accepted Christ as her personal savior, was baptized and joined Jerusalem Baptist Church (Dawson, Georgia).  After years of faithful attendance and service, she transferred her membership to Sardis Baptist Church (Dawson, Georgia) where she again faithfully attended service, was a member of the Dorcas Club and the choir until her 2007 move to Maryland.  At church, when the preacher asked everyone to turn to a book/chapter in the bible, Sue was known to be able to get there faster than anyone else.  In Maryland, she continued worship at Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church.  When her illness prevented her from attending service, she worshiped via the church’s livestream broadcasts.  After she became housebound, two of the church’s ministers, Rev. Odessa Simpson and Rev Chinia Dillard visited Miss Daisy, prayed with her, sang songs with her and brought communion to her.  This continued until her death. 

A Time to Plant…

As a child, Sue enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.  Every Sunday was spent attending Sunday School and worship services at Jerusalem Baptist Church.  This was followed by a joyful time visiting neighbors and playing with friends.  She was educated at Yeomans School in Terrell County, Georgia where she was a member of the 4-H Club.  Very proud of her accomplishments, Miss Daisy kept her 1942 promotion record in her bible.  One who always wanted to earn her own, Sue was employed at Monarch Cleaners (Dawson, Georgia), Sunlight Cleaners (Albany, Georgia), and Almark Mills (Dawson, Georgia) until she moved on to the final work God had for her -  becoming her mother’s full-time caregiver, a role she served in until her mother’s death.  Still wanting to work, upon her arrival in Maryland she often asked her daughter-in-law “Are they hiring at your job?”

Gifted with a beautiful singing voice, Miss Daisy loved to sing gospel songs, would chime in whenever she heard any song and would sing and sing and sing.  Even as her memory failed, she could repeat and sing a new song after hearing just one stanza. During the 2012 Summer Olympics, Miss Daisy won “an olympic gold medal in singing” at Winter Growth Adult Day Care Center, the senior center she attended until December 2014.  While Alzheimer's disease may have stolen her memory, Miss Daisy never forgot music or loss her appreciation for spirituals, hymns and gospel songs, continuing to sing them and sing along with them on the radio or from her playlist.  As her health continued to decline and she could no longer sing out loud, she gently mouthed a few of the words to songs she knew.

A Time to Love… A Time for Joy…

On May 25, 1946, Sue was joined in matrimony to Sammie Lee Ward.  To this union, her “one and only, pride and joy” Forrest Leonard Ward was born.  A loving mother from his birth until his untimely death, Miss Daisy was always there for Forrest.  She would do and give anything and everything for him. In spite of their fights (Forrest not doing what his mother wanted him to do as a child, Forrest not listening to advice Sue provided as an adult, Forrest moving Miss Daisy from her home to Maryland when she could no longer live on her own, Forrest placing Miss Daisy on the bus to attend adult day care when she did not want to go, Forrest not going back into the house to retrieve Miss Daisy’s “pocketbook or earrings” when they were going someplace, etc.), Miss Daisy loved her some Forrest.  When she could not see him, Miss Daisy would ask “where’s Forrest?”  As her memory continued to decline and she could no longer recall his name, she would ask “where’s Son?”  During the last eight years of his life, Miss Daisy and Forrest grew closer and closer and would often be observed falling asleep as they leaned on each other and lovingly held each other.  

A quiet lady, Miss Daisy found joy spending time with children, dressing up, cooking for her family, attending her beloved Atlanta Braves’ baseball games and watching wrestling on television.  When she moved to Maryland, she joined the Sophisticated Ladies Pokeno Club where she enjoyed playing, winning and having a good time with the ladies.

A Time to Share…

One to always do for others, especially family members, Sue was the family member to turn to when in need.  Whether it was giving money, babysitting, or becoming the caregiver for the declining health of family members, Miss Daisy was always there.

A Time To Show She Had Class…

Miss Daisy ate her meals like she was the Queen of England, savoring each morsel of food as she slowly chewed; daintily wiped her mouth with the napkin that she kept on her lap; never left home without her pocketbook, earrings and matching clothing and shoes; and held her hands crossed at the wrist and legs crossed at all times - even in the bed. When she saw a woman wearing what she thought was a too tight or too short dress, she would often shake her head in disgust as she pulled at her daughter-in-law pointing to the woman and the dress, loudly saying “Fetina look at that!”  Even her sneezes and coughs were faint and lady like, always followed by an “excuse me.”

A Time to Transition…A Time for Eternity…

On April 9, 2018, God spoke and Miss Daisy was called to Glory, reunited with her son, parents, brothers (Arthur Lee Dennard, Sr, Charlie Will Dennard, and Johnny B. Dennard, Sr.), sisters (Lillie Mae Pittman, Louise King, Essie Bridges), grandparents; and other family and friends. 

She leaves treasured memories, her undying love, infectious smile (when she wanted to give it!), uncanny wit, mischievous antics and a profound impact on the lives of her daughter-in-law Fetina Ward of Silver Spring, Maryland; grandchildren Terry (Sholanda) Armstrong, Sr. of Stone Mountain, Georgia, Selena (Terry) Borner of Covington, Georgia, and Shannon Ward of Baltimore, Maryland; great-grandchildren Morgan Borner, Terry Armstrong, Jr, Madison Borner, Maxwell Armstrong, and Chloe Armstrong; sisters Mary Frances Green of Charlotte, North Carolina, Rena Lewis of Ellenwood, Georgia, and Annie Ruth (Dennis) Williams of Dawson, Georgia; brothers Deacon Forrest (Fannie) Dennard, Jr. and Willie Fred Dennard Sr., both of Dawson, Georgia; sister-in-law and best friend Annie Mae Dennard of Dawson, Georgia; sisters-in-law Annie Lee Dennard,  Amy Lee Ward, and Dorothy Ward, all of Dawson, Georgia; favorite niece with whom she had a mother-daughter relationship Brenda (Jimmy) Bell of Sasser, Georgia; lifelong friends Mrs. Rushie Bridges and Mrs. Martha Smith; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. 

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