John E Denny

For the past few years, he had battled a neurodegenerative condition and was a resident of A.O. Fox Nursing Home in Oneonta, NY. Prior to that, he led an active life that included time spent traveling extensively and spending time both in Palm Springs, CA and in NY on his beloved farm.

John was born 1937 in Greenwich, CT, the son of Henry and Ella Denny. He was raised in Maryland, NY on the farm purchased by his parents. He attended Milford Central School where his father served as school superintendent. He received his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York, Oneonta, and went on to pursue his master’s degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He then completed his PhD degree at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He married Winola Barnes in 1965, and moved back to Maryland, NY where they raised two children, Kirk and Heather. He was a devoted father and loved spending time with family and friends.

John worked for over 20 years as a psychologist at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital (now Bassett Medical Center) in Cooperstown, NY, first serving as a child psychologist, then as a clinical psychologist, caring for patients of all ages. He also served on the board of Pathfinder Village an organization dedicated to supporting individuals with Down Syndrome. After leaving Bassett, he was in private practice for several years before retiring. In retirement, he enjoyed traveling around the world, exploring North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. He loved the outdoors, nature, gardening, painting, and classical music. He would walk through the woods identifying birds by their song and plants by their leaves. He often said that if he didn’t become a psychologist, he would have been a botanist.

Later in life, he was committed to LGBTQ causes and was a longtime loving partner to Walter Nagel of Oneonta, NY.

He was predeceased by his parents and brother David Denny and is survived by his partner Walter, his two children and their spouses, Kirk and Vanessa Denny, and Heather Denny and Doug Sickler; his granddaughter Victoria Denny; and his former wife Winnie Denny-Smith.

The family will celebrate his life with a private ceremony in the fall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made in John’s memory to the National Audubon Society https://act.audubon.org/a/donate or the Otsego Land Trust https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/otsegolandtrust

Arrangements are by the Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home of Oneonta.

Please visit www.grummonsfuneralhome.com to leave a condolence for John's family.