Denny was born January 6, 1945 in Kansas City, Missouri. He enjoyed playing a variety of sports growing up, especially 3-2 baseball. He often fished and hunted in the woods behind his house after school. He achieved the highest rank in Scouting as an Eagle Scout. He treasured his time hunting and fishing at his family's cabin in southern Missouri until recent years.
Denny graduated from Southeast High School in 1963. After graduation, he worked farms in western Kansas and the Dakotas before enlisting in the US Marine Corp, serving from 1965-1971. He was proud to serve his country in Vietnam for 34 months. When mentioned as a hero, he would say, "I'm not the hero, they were the boots left behind."
After serving his country, he became a licensed journeyman plumber and a member of Plumbers Local No. 8. He had an incredible career building and working on nearly every hospital, power plant and landmark in and around Kansas City.
Denny accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at a Billy Graham Crusade in September of 1978. In 1986, the Lord gave Denny a desire to use his trade to serve others. He went on his first mission trip to New York City which changed his life. After that, he volunteered all over the world using his skills to minister to those in need.
At home in the US, Denny volunteered for 22 months serving the people of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He volunteered in other disaster relief efforts and ministered to churches and individuals in need from coast to coast.
He also served locally at the KC Rescue Mission, in street ministries and in various church ministries, too numerous to mention. As he would humbly say, "I am just a pair of hands that shows up."
Denny died from brain and lung cancer as a result of Agent Orange from his tours of duty in Vietnam. His family would like to acknowledge his family physician, Jennifer Sturich Cummins, MD, his oncologist Tracy Miles, MD, his radiation oncologist Michael Hughes, MD and the staff at AdventHealth Cancer Center and the Staff at Harbor Hospice (especially Jane) for the outstanding care they showed during his battle. They became like family.
Denny was preceded in death by his parents, L. D. Noland and Dorothy (Starkey) Noland.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Priscilla (Reynolds) Noland, daughters Melissa Miles (Ben) and Amanda Searcy (Garrett), sons Matthew Noland and Joshua Noland (Mary), his sister Kathleen Noland, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 28th, from 6:00pm-8:00pm. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 29th, at 9:00am, with a visitation beforehand from 8:00-9:00am. Visitation and services will be held at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Kansas City Rescue Mission at www.kcrm.org.
