Dennis Dones

Mr. Dennis Dones, 63, of Hickman died Wednesday, July 8, 2020, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Union City.

Services will be held at noon on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at Christ Temple Apostolic Church in Paducah.

Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at the church.

The holy matrimony and union of Martin and Mary Dones produced five children. Their fourth child, Dennis James, was born March 15, 1957, in St. Louis, Missouri. They provided a loving home filled with events that Dennis treasured. He often spoke of his mother preparing a hot breakfast before he and his siblings left for school, as well as an afternoon snack upon their return. Dennis also cherished his ‘morning cup of coffee’ (at 5 years old!) that he shared with his father before he left for work.

Although he had a normal home life, his life outside of the home was sometimes unkind. Dennis was often bullied, and was the object of ridicule in his early school years. He would share his experiences, but was told to ‘man up; only boys cry.’ So he learned to take the ridicule, and try to rise above it. He often said that he was glad when Sunday came around, because he’d stay at home with his family, eat, and dance to the ‘Motown Sounds’ coming from the record player. However, when he was around 10 years old, a change took place in his household. instead of the usual Sunday tradition, his mother made Dennis and his sister, Patricia, start going to Sunday School. The fact that ‘school’ was associated with ‘Sunday’ caused Dennis to dislike this ‘Church’ thing. He still suffered from bullying as he learned about God…but God’s Plan for Dennis was about to be revealed.

In March of 1972, when he was 15 years old, Dennis heard (the late) Bishop A.C. Coleman of The Church of Christ the Divine preach the Word of God in its fullness at 2653 Natural Bridge in St. Louis, Missouri. He was still looking for help, for deliverance, for peace. Dennis said the Word he heard, touched his soul. He obeyed God’s Plan and repented of his sins and was baptized in water in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission(removal) of his sins (Acts 2:38). He rose to walk in the newness of Life that was offered to him. In the same month, God filled him with the Holy Ghost, with the manifested evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave him utterance (Acts 2:2-4). As his life progressed in Christ, Brother Dennis became known as a ‘Praiser’ and a ‘Worshipper.’ Both he and his sister were responsible of leading both his father and mother to Christ. They began evangelism within their family, because the Gospel spread to aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Bro. Dennis was educated in the St. Louis Public School system, and successfully graduated from Vashon High School in 1975. He attended St. Louis Community College for a while, before he became gainfully employed by Swift Meat Packing Company, followed by The Chrysler Corporation. Dennis was a successful young man, but he said he still felt a void. God had granted so many of his prayers, so he decided to pray for a wife. He said that he told God that he wanted a saved young lady, a virgin, educated, and someone not from Missouri!!! In 1980, he noticed, approached, and met ‘that someone.’ Bro. Dennis proposed, and she accepted. So, on May 23, 1981, Dennis J. Dones and Beverly A. Miller were united in holy matrimony. To this divine union, a sweet daughter, Charita Alletrice, was born in 1982. Charita, along with her cousins and friends, fondly knew Dennis as a ‘fun’ person. He loved to play games at gatherings/fellowship with both the family and his church family. The gathering would not be the same with a least 10 exhausting rounds of “St. Peter, St. Paul.”

Whenever Bro. Dennis attended Church, he made sure that he had his wife, his child, and his tambourine. Of course, he taught his daughter at a very young age, to master this instrument. He, as a Praiser/Worshipper, loved to sing. His collection of gospel vinyls, 8-tracks, cassettes, and cds was quite extensive. The Doneses had to reserve a room in their home to accommodate all of his equipment. But, very importantly, Bro. Dennis learned it was okay to cry. When he became aware of Psalms 56:8-12, the floodgates opened, and he experienced a new level of worship and faith.

In August 1995, Bro. Dennis and his extended family, relocated to Hickman, Kentucky. In August 1997, he was promoted by his pastor to fulfill the office of Deacon. He served under the pastorage of Bishop V.L. Bess of Anointed Ministries of the Apostolic Faith for 24 years as a deacon, choir member, Brotherhood chairperson, Sunday School Superintendent and teacher, among many other titles. Deacon Dones loved to sing and lift the Name of Jesus!! He enjoyed leading a high praise testimony service. He would sing a song, until he felt it, the Church felt it, and Heaven got the news!! He said he wanted to give God his all. He was known for singing “It Is Well”, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”, and “I Got It”!!

However, his favorite song was “Serving The Lord Will Pay Off After While.” It became his mantra. He would walk around the house, humming and singing this song, sometimes while in pain. While on his way to the hospital on July 7th, at 3:15 a.m., he was humming this song in the car. When I asked him in the ER that morning what he was thinking about, he smiled and said, “serving the Lord will pay off after while.” I whole-heartedly believe that this song was in his spirit until he drew his last ‘earthly’ breath on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 4:55 a.m.

Deacon Dennis James Dones was preceded in death by his parents, Deacon Martin and Missionary Mary Dones; his dear brothers, Steven and Perry (both of which were baptized in Jesus Name with Perry receiving the infilling of the Holy Ghost), and his sister, First Lady Patricia Sanders; both of his favorite aunts, Geraldine, and Jessie (who were saved Church Mothers). He leaves to celebrate his life, yet mourn his departure, his wife of 39 years, Beverly and his daughter, Charita; his loving brother Connell (Sandra); his sweet sisters-in-law, Mother Norma Terry, and Mother Mary Simmons; his wonderful brother-in-law, Bro. Willie, and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, saints, and friends that he loved and who continue to love him very much.

Like Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 15:51-53, Deacon Dones said and believed that his corrupt body would one day, put on incorruption, that his mortal body would put on immortality. One day, last month he said, ‘’Bev, whether I’m alive, or gone on, I want to be caught up to meet Jesus (I Thess. 4: 13-18), because ‘serving the Lord will pay off after while.’ I told him, “it’s been ‘paying off’ all our lives!”

Rawls Funeral Home - Union City 731-885-8110