Anna Dennis' Obituary
Anna L. Dennis of Clinton, Iowa, passed away September 12, 2024,at the Alverno in Clinton.
Anna was born in Clinton, Iowa, to Warren and Josephine Clark on May 2, 1931 in Clinton Iowa. She was married to Hiley Dennis in 1949 in Clinton, after graduating from Lyons High School. From that union they had five children: Sheila (Don) McKinley of Camanche, Iowa, Kathy (Mark) Balzarini of Naperville, Illinois, Sherry (Don) Yanda of Maquoketa, Iowa, Don Dennis of Boise, Idaho, and James (Christine) Dennis of Clinton, Iowa.
Anna enjoyed life to the fullest. In her early years she was an accomplished gymnast belonging to the Turner Club of Gymnastics and traveled for competitions and qualifying as an alternate for the Nationals. She and her husband spent many hours writing motorcycles. When the children were young, boating and camping on the river occupied most weekends. She enjoyed white water rafting out west and visiting family. She even fell out of the raft one time when the rapids were steep and turbulent, but it didn’t stop her from going again. She loved many sports, but Major League Baseball was her favorite.
As Anna was raising a family of five children, she was employed at Sears in the shoe department in the days when you actually got your feet measured. Growing up her children had shoes that fit perfectly. Then went on and worked for the Clinton County Sheriffs Department at the Clinton Law Center for 20 plus years until her retirement. Not wanting to sit around doing nothing, she volunteered at Mercy Hospital in Clinton for 10 years.
Anna is survived by her children: Sherry (Don) Yanda of Maquoketa, Iowa, Don Dennis of Boise, Idaho, and James (Christine) Dennis of Clinton; son-in-law‘s Don McKinley of Camanche and Mark Balzarini of Naperville, Illinois; 10 grandchildren, 23 grand great grandchildren; and two brothers: Leo Clark of Clinton and Vincent (Wanda) Clark of Waldorf, Maryland. She was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband, three siblings: Esther Stauffer, Dorothy Clark, Verna Colschen, two daughters: Sheila McKinley and Kathy Balzarini and a grandson Donnie McKinley.
There will be no services or visitation. Per Anna‘s wishes she has deed her body to the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. Her final resting place will be at the Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City. The family deeply appreciates the care and received from the Alverno of Clinton and MercyOne Home Healthcare and Hospice. She’s looking down on all of you with her funny face. Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes – Clinton is assisting the family.
What’s your fondest memory of Anna?
What’s a lesson you learned from Anna?
Share a story where Anna's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Anna you’ll never forget.
How did Anna make you smile?

