Dennis “Denny” Symens, 67 of Hampton passed away Wednesday, July 31, 2024, peacefully at home following a long battle with kidney cancer. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Monday, August 5, 2024, at Faith Baptist Church in Hampton. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at Faith Baptist Church in Hampton. Denny will be laid to rest at the Ingham Township Cemetery in rural Hansell. Woodley Funeral Home of Hampton is caring for Denny and his family.
He was born March 30, 1957, in Hampton, IA, to Murrel and Rosalyn (Simons) Symens and grew up with his three brothers: Doug, Bruce and Brent, on their family farm located five miles east of Hampton on Highway 3. Denny graduated with the class of 1975 at Hampton High School and continued the tradition of farming with his family. On March 18, 1979, Denny married Mary Lou Greimann and together they lived on farmsteads near the Hansell area. Denny and Mary were blessed with three daughters: Crystal Marie, Lacey Nicole, and Ashley Rose. In addition to raising crops, Denny was a farrow-to-finish pork producer with his brother Bruce for many years and later did other ag-related jobs, such as being a crop insurance adjuster for Farm Bureau Insurance. Those who knew Denny realized early on that they would have a life-long friend to share in fun times and great memories.
Denny worshipped faithfully on Sunday mornings at Faith Baptist Church in Hampton and enjoyed participating with Mary in their small group along with other Bible studies with friends. He also traveled with friends on several mission trips including ones to Kenya, Haiti and Louisiana. With frequent visits to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Denny also loved visiting with other patients and their family members in waiting rooms as well as roommates while hospitalized. He would strike up a conversation and end with sharing a few words of encouragement and his faith in a loving God, no matter what he was going through himself.
Denny’s greatest enjoyment was being a grandfather where he rarely missed his grandkids’ activities, even throughout his illness. Denny and Mary enjoyed travelling during the winter months to warmer climates where he took up scuba diving and snorkeling along with Mary.
Denny is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mary Symens; daughters Crystal Menken and her husband Reid of Dumont, IA, and three grandchildren Carter, Hazel and Judson; Lacey Peters and her husband Rodney of Hampton, IA, and three grandchildren Brody, Cade and Ally; Ashley Tufte and her husband Duston of Aredale, IA, and two grandchildren Wyatt and Lincoln. He is also survived by his parents, Murrel and Rosalyn Symens, of Hampton; three brothers, Doug and his wife Karen of Hampton, Bruce and his wife Carol of Hampton, and Brent and his wife Mary Jane of Hampton; nephew Joshua (Chasity) Symens; and nieces Devola (Chad) Kopp and Amanda (Ryan) Peterson. He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents.
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