Obituary of Frances May Dennison

Tully: Frances May Houghtaling Dennison, 83, was joyfully reunited in heaven with her husband of 56 years, Robert Earl Dennison, on October 10, 2015. Despite spending the last two years in Memory Care at Loretto in Syracuse, “Frannie” lived a cheerful and humorous life to the fullest. She leaves behind her beloved family: her three children, Amy (William) Hand, Beverly Fishlock, and Andrew (Shawna) Dennison; nine grandchildren, Andrea (Sean) Ellison, Christopher Carr, Jessica Hand, Dustin Hand, Laura Fishlock, and Sydney, McKinley, Callaghan, and Eoghan Dennison; four great-grandchildren, Michael, Julia, Madeleine, and Jonathan Ellison; her niece Cathy (Richard) Contant and her great-nieces Colleen and Kimberly Contant. Frannie was born June 10th, 1932, in Baldwinsville, NY, and was raised in Rochester and Sodus, NY. She was an accomplished seamstress and was always happy to make clothing to donate to those in need. She married Bob Dennison on September 5, 1953 after a four-year courtship and in spite of claiming she could not stand him; once he had succeeded in winning over her mother, however, she happily set to raising a family with the man she loved and laughed with for the rest of her life. Even though she only gave birth to three children, she was a de facto mother to every child who came to her door. The Dennison family moved in 1967 to Tully, NY, where Bob became the property manager of Camp Hoover for the Central New York Girl Scout Council, with Frannie’s constant help and support. She was the long-time hostess of Senior Citizen luncheons sponsored by P.E.A.C.E. Inc., and in 2009 was named Tully’s Senior Citizen of the Year. She was a proud member of Apple Valley Methodist Church, where she was often asked to play hymns on Sunday mornings. Her greatest pleasure was to accompany her daughter, granddaughters and great-granddaughters as they sang together. Frannie was a musical savant who could play the piano beautifully without any formal training, transposing to any key in a heartbeat. She was an enthusiastic and beautiful singer as well, and took great joy in singing and playing in church, for her family, friends, and her beloved Senior Citizens. Calling hours will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 17th at the Tully Masonic Lodge on State Street in Tully, followed at 4 p.m. by a celebration of her life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Apple Valley United Methodist Church’s music fund in her memory. Arrangements: Norton Funeral Home of Sodus.