On Monday, October 7, 2019, Dennis Franklin Wenner, advocate for those with mental illness and a caring and intriguing friend, died at the age of 72 at Alive Hospice Nashville Tennessee after a short illness. Dennis was born April 3, 1947 in Bucyrus, Ohio to the late Paul Wenner and Phyllis Franklin Carle. Dennis was a 1965 graduate of Bucyrus High School, as well as a graduate of Ohio University and Vanderbilt Divinity School. In high school, Dennis enjoyed playing saxophone in the school band and running on the track team. He continued his love of music through playing the Australian didgeridoos, Native American and Japanese flutes, piano, dulcimer, and listening to countless vinyl records on his top of the line sound system. He was highly respected for his expertise for providing services and resources for improving the lives of people living with mental illness at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and at Park Center in Nashville, Tennessee. In myriad and often eccentric as well esoteric ways, Dennis strove to be his healthiest self in body, mind and spirit. A dry sense of humor and quick wit, spoken in his soft voice would surprise and delight his friends and colleagues. Plus he had a gigantic television screen to view every nuance of his favorite sport events. Dennis is survived by one brother Daryl ( Teresa) Wenner of Caledonia Ohio and one step brother Robert ( Mary Jo ) Carle of Bucyrus Ohio. Many professional colleagues in mental health and the healing arts as well as fellow eccentrics and friends remember him with appreciation for his deeply caring ways, especially to the “least of us.”
A celebration of Dennis’ life will be held on Saturday , November 23, 2019 at 2 o’clock p.m in Nashville Tennessee. Donations as a tribute to Dennis may be made to Park Center 801 12th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203 or online www.parkcenternashille.org
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