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May 9, 1936 – June 26, 2015

LAFAYETTE, La. — Memorial services for Elizabeth M. Dennis, 79, who died peacefully at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center surrounded by her loving family members, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Asbury United Methodist Church, 101 Live Oak Blvd., in Lafayette, La., with the Rev. Richard Humphries officiating and accompanied by musical director Mr. Lee Cooke.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. until service time Friday at the church.

Elizabeth was born May 9, 1936, in Merrill, Wis. She spent most of her childhood in Ironwood, Mich., and graduated from Ironwood High School in 1954. She then moved to Waukegan, Wis., and Belleville, Ill., and attended a trade school for two years while working a number of jobs. She managed a grocery store in Delhi, La., before moving to Natchez in 1961. She raised her family in Natchez while also managing to operate four convenience stores and a liquor store. She later became a legislative assistant to a number of Louisiana state legislators and continued to work for them even after moving to Lafayette in 1999.

After retirement, she refined her decorating skills by making beautiful wreaths and helping her son, Richard, decorate houses for Christmas, both in the Lafayette and Baton Rouge areas. She and her son had the privilege of decorating the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion for two years while Governor Mike Foster was in office. “Everything she touched turned into a thing of beauty.”

Survivors include her loving husband, James “Jim” Marble; her three children, Pamela Strickland and husband, Ronnie “Cuz” of Houston, Wanda Jackson of Hendersonville, Tenn., and Richard Dennis of Baton Rouge; four grandchildren, Amy Tate and husband, Kevin, Lauran Ellis and husband, Richard, Trevor Dennis and Mehgan Norris and husband, Luke; eight great-grandchildren, Avery, Walker, Mathew, Ben, Laylah, Ameryn, Nathan and Mattee; two step-sisters, Debbie Johnson and husband, Lowell, and Dolly Johnson and husband, Wayne, all of Waupaca, Wis.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Asbury United Methodist Church in memory of Elizabeth would be appreciated by the family. They may be mailed to Asbury United Methodist Church, 101 Live Oak Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70503.