Ruth Barden Dennis

Ruth Barden Dennis, long time resident of Bonneau SC, passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 26th 2016 in Floral City, FL. Ruth, 98 was born September 16th 1917 in St. Joseph, Mo. to Jorgine and Dean Barden.

Ruth was a teacher, starting her career in 1937 in a one-room school house in St. Joseph, MO. She moved to San Francisco, CA in 1943 in support of the war effort and worked for Standard Oil and Shell Chemical. It was there in 1946 that she met and married George, a sailor off the USS Washington. They moved to George's home in South Carolina, but with jobs being scarce in the South, they moved back to San Bernardino, CA in 1947, then on to Barstow, CA in 1950. Her first teaching assignment back in Barstow was 8th grade at Barstow High which then was 7th thru 12th grades. She also taught at Waterman, Cameron, Thomson and Henderson Elementary Schools, retiring in 1974 from Barstow Junior High. After George's retirement in 1981 as Fort Irwin's Fire Chief they returned to Bonneau ,SC. While Teaching full time and raising three children she earned her BA at the University of Redlands and her Masters degree at UCLA. Ruth was a Life member of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW post 9509 in Moncks Corner and an avid member of The Berkeley Artists guild. She painted amazing pictures, wrote beautiful music and will be remembered dearly not only by her immediate family but by countless nieces, nephews, friends and former students.


She was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years George Dennis Sr. and son-in-law Frank Yslas of Barstow, CA. Ruth is survived by her daughters GJordene Yslas of Barstow, CA, and Carolyn Dennis Budd (husband Wayne) of Floral City, FL, son George Dennis Jr. (wife Kelly) of Victorville, CA, nine grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 10:30am Thursday, September 8th 2016 at Rehoboth Methodist Church, Bonneau, SC. Funeral Arrangements will be handled by Russell Funeral Chapel of Moncks Corner, SC. Donations in her honor may be made to Operation Smile at www.operationsmile.org.