Bertrand Orr Dennison

Bertrand Orr Dennison was born March 11, 1935 in Knoxville, Iowa the son of Robert and Bertrice (Orr) Dennison.

He attended Knoxville schools and graduated with the Class of 1954. On September 5, 1955 Bert was united in marriage to Roberta Fast at the First United Methodist Church in Knoxville. The couple lived in Des Moines where Bert was a barber. He served in the United States Army from January 1958 until December 1959 mostly in Stuttgart, Germany. He was in Headquarters VIII Corps and was a map maker. Following his honorable discharge, Bert and Roberta made their home in Des Moines for a few years before returning to the Knoxville area. Bert had an amazingly strong work ethic; as a boy he was a newspaper carrier and as shoe shiner at Cooper’s and in high school he worked at Braida’s Grocery. As an adult he had not one job, but three: he was a barber, farmer and realtor. He was a founding partner of the Red Rock Lake View Subdivision. He was a barber long enough to cut three generations of hair in several families and he loved the 150-year-old Dennison Family Farm. In his retirement, Bert continued cutting hair at a shop in Lacona and farmed.

As Bert’s health began to fail, Roberta was at his side, taking care of him, just as she had their entire marriage.

Bert passed away July 23, 2024 at the Comfort House, in Pella, at the age of 89 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Bertrice; siblings: Melvin, Eldon, Phyllis and Nancy and his grandson, Corey Lee.

Those left to cherish Bert’s memory include his loving wife of over 68 years, Roberta; daughters: Laura (Mike) Bandow of Grinnell, Iowa; Amy (Bob) Lee of Knoxville and Beth (Greg) Van Zante of Carlisle; grandchildren: Mark Ballotti and Lia Ballotti; Danny (Amy) Lee, Emily (Addison) Spear and Farah (Austin) Proefrock, and Carly (Eli) Riessen and Josie Van Zante; 3 greatgrandchildren; siblings: Brenda (Dwight) Mater and Paul (Joyce) Dennison and many other family members and friends.

A Memorial Service for Bert Dennison, age 89 of Knoxville, will be held Saturday July 27, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial, with military honors, will be in Graceland Cemetery. In lieu of fl owers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church or to the Alzheimer’s Association. Bybee & Davis Funeral Home is handling arrangements and online condolences may be left at www. BertrandFuneralHomes. com.