Joseph Henry Denny

It is with great sadness that we announce that our father, Joseph Henry Denny passed into the spirit world on April 22, 2024. Joseph was born on December 10, 1943 to the late John & Rita (Prosper) Denny. He was a direct descendant of hereditary Grand Chief John Denny Jr.

Joe was the quintessential family man. He loved his family very much and made sure they felt that love. He was quick witted and always had a smile on his face. He was friendly with everyone he met and had respect for everyone, regardless of their situation. A meticulous note taker, he loved to write, as evidenced with the many notepads he kept. He loved Powwows and looked forward to the powwow trail list every year to see which ones he would visit. A fan of Boston, the team and city, he always shared stories about his younger days living there. He loved Maine, not many years went by where he did not visit the state on road trips to meet up with his sisters there. He was a man of routine and even after retirement, you could find him at “the centre” early every morning for his daily visits to Mi’kmaw Lodge and NADACA. A very punctual man, if he said 8 AM that meant 7:45 and that also meant he was someone you could always rely on. He loved all children, but he loved his grandchildren immensely. It was always the presence of children that gave him the biggest smiles you would ever see on Joe’s face. He spoke fondly about all his family and will be greatly missed. He was amazing in his roles as father, brother, uncle, great uncle, grandfather,great grandfather, husband, partner and friend, but to his family he was and always will be “Granddad”.

After his family, Joe’s greatest legacy lives on in his long and distinguished career of service to community, especially in the fields of health and addiction. Following his time living and working in Boston, Joe worked as a court worker until he had the opportunity to focus his energy as a community addictions counsellor in a pilot project for the Union of Nova Scotia Indians called NADACA with three other colleagues. From those humble beginnings and under his leadership and advocacy as executive director, NADACA was represented in every Mi’kmaq community in Nova Scotia with a staff of over fifty (50) people working to treat and prevent alcohol and drug addictions in our nation. He succeeded in getting the Friendship Center to be included as a community to serve L’nu living in urban areas. Always fighting for better services tailored to Mi’kmaq peoples’ needs, Joseph was instrumental in the opening of 2 groundbreaking treatment centres in Nova Scotia, Mi’kmaw Lodge in 1985 and Eagles Nest Recovery House in 1989. Joe helped to create the Mi'kmaw BSW program and in initiating the first addictions specific certificate program for First Nations counsellors through Dalhousie's school of social work. The Warrior Spirit conference on addictions was the result of Joe's championing for a health conference to provide training opportunities for those working in addictions.

Joseph’s presence as a leader made him a top choice for boards and steering committees of health and social justice. Joe was a chair, co chair or member of many boards of directors, including Healing Our Nations, Atlantic Regions Partnership Committee, addictions Advisory Council of Addictions Services of Cape Breton, Tripartite Justice sub-committee, Mic Mac News Board, The National Native Treatment Directors. Upon his retirement from NADACA, he served as the chair of the Eskasoni Health Board.

Joseph was the recipient of many awards over his lifetime. He received the Chief Michael Augustine award in recognition of extraordinary contributions made to improve the health of First Nation People in the Atlantic First Nation communities. In 1991, he received the Award of Merit from the Nova Scotia Commission on Drug dependency as well as an Our Eskasoni lifetime achievement award in 2015.

Joe will be lovingly remembered by his children Sharon (Derek) Johnson & Justin (Jeannine) Denny, his longtime partner Nellie Cremo and his sisters Beverly MacDonald, Quebec, Bernadette Gloade, Marlene Denny (Jack), Shirley Denny, Millbrook, Gail Stevens (Darren), Eskasoni. Granddad’s memory will also live on in his grandchildren Teanna, DJ (Karen), Chase, Daymon (Jillian), Sage, Yvette, Dionne (Joe), Justyne, Bethany and his great grandchildren: Kerry & Niklas. Joe also lives in the hearts of his many nieces, nephews, godchildren and friends he made along the way.

Joe will be welcomed into the afterlife by his parents, his wife and mother of his children Karen, daughter Wendy and grandson Kobe as well as by brothers Lester, Bobby and sisters Muriel, Eleanor and Pamela and by three siblings in infancy.

A visitation for Joseph will take place at the Gabriel Centre in Eskasoni starting on Thursday, May 2 at 7pm. Funeral Mass will take place in Holy Family Church, 50 Gabriel St. Eskasoni on Saturday, May 4 at 10:00am with Salite to follow.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.twcurry.com.

Our family would like to offer grateful thanks to the EHS, Fire Department, first responders and community for their quick response and kind, thoughtful care.