Celebration of Life for Mrs. Sammye Griffin Dennis, August 31, 1907-November 24, 2004, Tuesday, November 30, 2004, 12:00 Noon, Warren Memorial United Methodist Church, 181 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia, The Reverend Richard D. Winn, Senior Pastor, Officiating, The Reverend Dr. Isreal Rucker, Director of Pastoral Services

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August 31, 1907 - November 24, 2004

Tuesday, November30,2004 - 12:00 Noon -
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1s1 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, Southwest Atlanta, Georgia
The Reverend Richard D. Winn, Senior Pastor Officiating
The Reverend Dr. Isreal Rucker, Director of Pastoral Services

Sammye was born in Summet, Tennessee, on Wednesday, August 31, 1907, the eldest child of Mary Lenear and Charlie Elijah Griffin. Her parents moved to Chattanooga from Sum met where she attended East Fifth Street Elementary School and graduated from Howard High School in 1926. Upon graduation from high school, Sammye entered Clark University, now Clark Atlanta University, where she became the first female to major in and receive a degree in Business Administration. Due to illness, she left during her freshman year and returned to join the class of 1931. While at Clark, she taught Sunday School at Carrie Steele-Pitts Orphanage as a member of "The Gleaners," was secretary of the class of 1931 , pledged on the first campus line (now Sigma Chapter) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and was a member of the Philharmonic Society, because of her college sweetheart, the late Dr. Joseph James Dennis who she married on December 28, 1931.
Throughout her life, Sammye beat the odds. The day she was born the doctor told her mother that she would never reach two years of age. She never allowed the prediction to deter her from living life to the fullest. She met the challenge of being born with a lung and one third of a lung, had breast cancer, a double amputation, and many other illnesses with a deep and abiding faith that knew no fear.
Sammye worked for the home office of Atlanta Life Insurance Company and Booker T. Washington High School, where she taught shorthand and typing. She later became Secretary to the President at Gammon Theological Seminary and retired after twenty-six years as Office Manager of the National Board of the YWCA, where she was based in the Southern Regional Office in Atlanta.
She was a member of Warren Memorial United Methodist Church. Beginning in the late 1930s, her service and leadership spanned three conferences: the all Black Atlanta and Georgia Conferences and the North Georgia Conference. She became the first secretary of the North Georgia Conference United Methodist Women at the time of the merger in 1972. In 1976, she was elected to a four-year term as vice-president of the Southeastern Core Planning Group, United Methodist Women, which included nine states. She was an active member of the Illustrious Seniors of Warren (ISOW) and Wesleyan sub unit at Warren and served twice as president.

Sammye served as Past President, Atlanta Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; First President, Atlanta, Que-etts; Member, Clark Atlanta University National Alumni Association, Inc.; Past President of the Professional Women of Atlanta; Member, AARP; Past Chairperson of the Board, Wesley Community Center; Associates Member, School of Nursing, Emory University; Epworth Towers Volunteer; Southwest Atlanta Garden Club; NAACP Member, and Great Books Literary Club Member. A savvy business woman, Sammye served as Past Chairperson of the Advisory Committee of the Joseph J. Dennis Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics at Clark Atlanta University. Under her leadership the scholarship fund has an endowment of over $300,000 and has awarded more than twenty-one scholarships since 1986, ranging from $1,200 to $10,000 each. Through the decades, Sammye Griffin Dennis received many honors and awards, including Certificate, Life Member, Alabama Conference Women's Society of Christian Service, The Methodist Church; Guard of Honor, Atlanta Debutante Ball, Eta Sigma Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; Bronze Woman of the Year in Religion, Delta Chapter, Iota Phi Lambda Sorority; Certificate, Wesley Homes, Inc., Volunteer Service in Epworth Towers, Appreciation of Service, Professional Women of Atlanta, Portrait of Women Trailblazers in Mission, Warren Memorial United Methodist Church; Certificate, Grand Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; 50 Years of Service, Certificate of Appreciation, Volunteer Training, Phyllis Wheatly YWCA City of Atlanta, and 90th Birthday Celebration. An avid bridge enthusiast, she was a member of the FOURSOME, the EIGHTSOME, and the Aurora Club. Sammye leaves a life of service, faith, and joy, and her strong sense of justice to each of you, along with her daughter, Jacquelyn A. DeBose; sister, Gussie Griffin Hyatte; nephew, the Reverend Eddie J. Rivers, Jr.; grandnephew, Jeffrey J. Rivers; grandnieces, Brenda R. Andreas and Ehrael J. Rivers; godchildren, Iris Evans, Dr. Thyria Greene-Ansley, and Ola Wayne Johnson.

She was different, she was special,
unique in a thousand ways,
She was giving, she was loving, and we'll miss her all our days.
Her legacy was friendship she was so giving of her time, the bequest was her faith in God, her children: her books of rhyme.
And when she heard death coming, she didn't cower in fear. Instead she called out boldly, "My Lord, I'm over here."
Of course, the Lord will welcome her, with His angels magnifying The beauty of that celestial place, devoid of pain and crying.
And so instead of mourning as we remember her this hour, We really should be celebrating
the blooming of a flower.
But forgive us, Lord, for pining, for wishing she were here. It's hard to give up someone we have come to love so dear.
Because you see She was different, she was special,
unique in a thousand ways.
She was loving, she was giving, and we'll miss her, miss her, miss her, all our days.

Prelude ................................................................. Mr. David Crawford Stills

Processional ......................................................................... "Total Praise"

Prayer of Thanksgiving .............................. The Reverend Dr. Isreal Rucker

Scripture Readings:

The Old Testament, Psalm 23 The Reverend Dr. Rucker

The New Testament, John 14:1-6

The Reverend Donald Daugherty

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Hymn #t17 ........................ ''How Great Thou Art" ................ Stuart K. Hine

Tributes: (Two minutes please) The United Methodist Women, Mrs. Thomasina Cooper Daugherty Mrs. Elizabeth London
The Wesleyans, Mrs. Lonnie Austin The Illustrious Seniors of Warren (!SOW), Mrs. Sallie Atkins, The J. J. Dennis Scholarship Committee, Henry Bowden, Jr., Esquire Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dr. Harriett J. Walton Family Friend, Dr. Isabella T. Jenkins Aurora Bridge Club, Mrs. Elmira Rumph "Sons" of Sammye and Joseph Dennis, Mr. Samuel M. Wilson, Ill
Mr. Henry Porter

Hymn# 140 ................. "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" ..................... Runyan

Musical Tribute .............................................................................. Mr. Stills (Read Obituary Silently)

Eulogy ................................................. The Reverend Richard D. Winn, Sr.

Recessional ................................................. The Clark College Alma Mater

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Lincoln Memorial Cemetery 2275 Simpson Road, Northwest
Atlanta, Georgia

Samuel M. Wilson, Ill Henry Porter John Briggs

Ralph Y. Grier, Jr. Micheal L. Cobb Clarence Bradley, Sr.

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Atlanta Alumni Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. The United Methodist Men of
Warren Memorial United Methodist Church

Sigma Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
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Atlanta Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The United Methodist Women of
Warren Memorial United Methodist Church
The family extends heartfelt thanks to each of you for your acts of love, caring and understanding. Special thanks is extended to the ministerial staff, members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Fire Station Number 9; Dr. Edward G. Walker; the staff of Crawford Long Hospital; Meals on Wheels, Hospice Care and the Home Care Nurses.

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