Feb. 16, 1937 – Jan. 13, 2012

JACKSON — Services for Audrey Lynn “Toby” Denson, 74, of Jackson, who died peacefully Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Highland Home Nursing Home in Madison, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home.

Burial will follow at Wright and Ferguson Mausoleum under the direction of Wright and Ferguson on Highland Colony Parkway.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Denson was born Feb. 16, 1937, in Natchez, the daughter of Marion H. and Audrey Jones Tobias. She graduated from Central High School and attended the University of Southern Mississippi where she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. She graduated from Jackson State University in 1976 with a degree in early childhood education.

For more than 30 years, Toby was involved in pre-school education in a number of capacities including classroom teaching and/or administrative duties at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church, Christ United Methodist Church, Madison-Ridgeland academy and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School-Madison. Toby served on the church staff at First Baptist Church-Jackson, First Baptist Church-Madison and had been a been a consultant for the Mississippi Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention.

Toby loved reading, traveling, camping and was a member of Colonial Heights Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 48 years, Robert E. “Bob” Denson Sr.; one son, Richard M. Denson; and her parents.

Survivors include one daughter, Lyn D. Harkins and husband, Tommy, of Jackson; one son, Robert E. “Tad” Denson Jr. and wife, Debbie, of Daphne, Ala.; six grandchildren, Thomas M. “Tripp” Harkins III and Leslie Ann Harkins, both of Jackson, Heather Denson Hawk and husband, Robert, and Hartley Denson Sullivan and husband, Michael, all of Mobile, Ala., Haydn Ellise Denson of Daphne and Hannah Kaylyn Denson of Oklahoma City, Okla.

The family wishes to thank Highland Homes and PAX Hospice for the care given to their loved one over the length of her illness.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorials may be made to the Richard Denson Endowed Scholarship for Dance Education. Checks payable to the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO Foundation) with “Richard Denson Endowed Scholarship for Dance Education” in the memo/note line and mail to UCO Foundation, 100 N. University, Evans Hall 102, Edmond, OK 73034. Online condolences may be sent to www.wrightferguson.com.