"Hi Pat, It's your ol' friend Fr. Mike Powell from St. Mary Hospital. I so enjoyed ministering with you and Jim. Please accept my prayers. St. Edmund Church in Watseka (I'm pastor there now) will offer Mass for Jim on June 9th. Be well, Love, Fr. Mike Powell"
In loving memory of
Deacon James Alan Dennison
January 17, 1951 - May 15, 2016
Deacon Jim Dennison passed away at his home, Sunday, May 15, 2016 following a short battle with a very aggressive form of cancer. Jim served in a range of pastoral positions in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. He and his wife Pat moved to Green Bay in 2010, were he served parishes in Appleton and Marinette. Most recently, Deacon Jim served the pastoral needs of the parishioners of Ss James and Stanislaus, first as a pastoral associate, then as their Parish Leader.
Deacon Jim was a native of Cleveland OH (a lifetime Browns fan, but adopted the Packers during the early Lombardi years!). He graduated from St. Ignatius High School, then attended the major Catholic seminary in the Cleveland Diocese, St. Charles Borromeo, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology and Classical Studies. Deacon Jim also attended Ohio State University, where he completed a Master's Degree in Communication. Later, he earned a Master's Degree in Theology from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Joliet in 2003.
Deacon Jim was a man of great wit and intelligence, with wide ranging interests from football to military history, to birding, to stamp collecting, to travel. One of his favorite things to do was to just get in the car and go, exploring the countryside. Deacon Jim was passionate about three things in his life: his God, his wife, and his Church. He is survived by his wife, Pat; his partner in life and partner in ministry. He is also survived by a brother, Tom (Lisa).
Many thanks to those who helped Deacon Jim through his illness: the emergency and ICU staffs at St. Vincent hospital in Green Bay, the staff of Green Bay Oncology, the staff of Unity Hospice, and all those many people who kept him in prayer.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. James Catholic Church, White Lake at 11:00 on Friday, May 20, 2016 with the Most Reverend Bishop David L. Ricken officiating. Visitation will be held at the church on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services.
Tributes
"Pat, I just heard. So very sorry. Jim was a wonderful man and I remember him quite fondly. Praying for him and for you. There are no words sufficient for such a great loss, other than I hope you feel the presence of God near you as you weather this storm. "
"Dear Pat, My sincere condolences to you on Jim's passing. I will say a Mass for him. Sorry that I can not attend his funeral on Friday. Father Norm Krutzik"