Denneny, Wilma Jean Donovan

Wilma Jean Donovan Denneny passed away Nov. 3, 2011, at hospice in Mercy Iowa City. Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 7, at St. Patrick's Church, with the Very Rev. Rudolph Juarez officiating. Visitation will be Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Home in Iowa City, with a rosary at 2:30 p.m. As in all life's important occasions, Wilma's loving family was with her at her death.

Wilma was born Oct. 19, 1928, to George and Nellie Donovan. She attended various one-room school houses until moving to Iowa City. She attended St. Mary's High School in Iowa City, a proud member of the class of 1946. Following graduation, she entered the Mercy Hospital Nursing School and proudly started her 20-year career as a Mercy nurse. Wilma was a valued employee of the University of Iowa Dental Clinic for an additional 20 years.

She married Thomas Francis Denneny Jr. on April 15, 1950, at St. Mary's Church in Iowa City. Tom and Wilma celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2010. Following her marriage, Wilma became an active member of St. Patrick's Church.

Tom and Wilma are survived by their nine children: Diane (Jerry) Strawn, Jim (Diane) Denneny, Barbara (Joel) Wells, Mary (Patrick) O'Leary, Genelle Denneny and friend Guy McCoy, Steven Denneny, Susan (Mack) Andrews, Colleen Mahoney and Tim (Beth Clark) Denneny. Her beloved family and husband were the focus of Wilma's life.

Wilma always had the coffeepot ready and her kitchen table available for any and all visitors. She valued her friendships from her days at Mercy Hospital, the Dental Clinic and the people she met through church, neighborhood and club memberships.

As a teenager, she was a member of the Scott Lassies 4-H Club. She was a founding member (with her husband Tom) of the County Johnson Irish, marching in many Irish parades. She was also a member of the Johnson County Heritage Museum, Mercy Hospital Nurses Alumni, Dental Women Luncheon group, Right to Life and St. Bridget's Foundation. Following Tom's death, she also was an honorary member of the “Thursday Morning UI Transport Drivers Group.”

Wilma's hobbies included a lifelong scrapbooking and genealogy fascination. She loved to read, do crossword puzzles and, after retirement, she and Tom enjoyed RV traveling to see family and friends. One of Wilma's passions was the continuation of family traditions. She organized many family reunions on both Donovan and Denneny sides.

Wilma was a proud and involved grandmother to 20 grandchildren: Kristine (Hung) Le, Jeffrey (Jenn) Gould, Amy (Eric) Davis, Jennifer (Mason) Boyd, Eric (Shilpa) Denneny, David Denneny, Michelle Denneny, Trisha (Carl) Cordell, Jason (Shelly) Wells, Keegan Wells, Renagh and Jonathon O'Leary, Kelsey Taddonio (Nick), Tom and Shannon Denneny, Adrianne and Sam Andrews, Megan Bishop (Jon Colwell), Steven Denneny and Allie Clark. She also had 13 great-grandchildren: Tinh, Kima, Hana and Mai Le; Rowan Gould, Jessica, Joshua and Carly Cordell, Kaden and Marleigh Wells, Amiya Denneny, Andrew Rotter and Eva Boyd.

Wilma was the oldest of six siblings and is survived by Roland (Darlene) Donovan, Betty (Alan) Patten, Rosemary (D.G.) Partridge, Patrick (Jackie) Donovan, Susan (Jim) Reese, Kathy Donovan, Charles Owen and Robert (King) Moore, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Wilma was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Denneny; her parents, George and Nellie Donovan; Genevieve and Thomas Denneny Sr., Larry Denneny, Genevieve Moore and Ann Owen; her son-in-law, Gary Salva; numerous cousins, aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to domestic violence or St. Pat's Catholic Church.

Memories and online condolences may be sent to

Published Nov. 4, 2011, in The Gazette