Doris Marie Buckels Dennette

The third of nine children, and the first girl, Doris was born 12 February 1927 in Miami, Florida to Phillip Buckels and Elsie Hinton Buckels. Her family eventually moved to Jacksonville in 1941 where she attended Kirby Smith Junior High and Andrew Jackson High School. Doris played the trumpet in the school bands and orchestra.

It was on the school bus ride to Kirby Smith that she first saw the man who would become the love of her life, Rhydon Call Dennette, Jr. Doris used to say that Daddy “chased her until she caught him.” Theirs was a love like no other for over 62 years!

Doris was a great, loving mother and a fabulous homemaker. Daddy told Mom that “he earned the living and she made the living worthwhile.” She was a leader to the Jolly Blue Birds and Camp Fire Girls for Darlene and served as a Cub Scout den mother for Bucky. She kept score at countless baseball games when Daddy coached teams in the Duval County youth baseball leagues, and always had a ready supply of bubble gum for the players.

Doris loved gardening, classical music, singing, friendly Saturday night poker games or playing Rummicube with friends, travelling to fabulous places with Daddy, and spending lots of time with her family, especially at family reunions.

Doris was active for many years at Lake Forest Baptist Church and later Southside Baptist Church, where she was blessed to worship with her friends for many years. She taught Sunday School and was active there in the prayer chapel, Women’s Missionary Union (WMU), the Sulzbacher Center and food ministries at Southside. Her faith was extremely important to her and she shared it with everyone she met.

Doris was preceded in death by her sweet husband Rhydon, her parents Elsie and Phillip Buckels, brothers Phil, Jim, Ed, Ernie and Steve, sisters Olivia and Phoebe, daughter-in law Cathy Dennette and many friends.

Doris leaves many to treasure her memory including her sister Liz (Billy) Motl and her children Darlene Dennette and Rhydon Dennette, III. Also surviving are her grandchildren Darin (Amy) McKinney, Brian (Ashley) McKinney, Amanda (CJ) Chitwood, and Tory (Justin) Dance; great-grandchildren Elise (Robby) Kaser, Shane (Melissa Barnes) McKinney, Cassidy (Nick) Glasscock, Hannah McKinney, Deven McKinney, Hayden McKinney, Shyla McKinney, Adelyn, Cordelia and Elodie Chitwood, and Jordyn Dance; great-great-grandchildren Skylar, Cannon, Elijah and August Glasscock, Evelyn and Jasper McKinney, along with oodles of precious nieces and nephews and fabulous friends!

The family is very grateful for the care Doris received from Hospice nurse Kristine Bromley and CNA Vennie Talbert, and to her dear neighbors Suzanne and Richard Galione.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to Community Hospice will be appreciated.

There will be a visitation Sunday, 9 May 2021 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Corey-Kerlin Funeral Home, 940 Cesery Boulevard, Jacksonville, Florida 32211.

Join Doris’ family and friends for a celebration of her great life on Monday, 10 May 2021 at 11 a.m. at Southside Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery on Main Street.