Dean Kimball Denniston Sr., son of the first African-American minister on Martha's Vineyard, died March 25 due to complications of a stroke. He was 92.
Mr. Denniston's story, A Person of Color, was one of 10 segments filmed for the documentary Vineyard Voices-American Stories, featured at the Martha's Vineyard Independent Film Festival. In the film he recounts his father's founding of Bradley Memorial Church, the joys and sorrows of being a minister's son and experiencing the sting of racial prejudice.
Mr. Denniston was born May 22, 1913. He was graduated from Oak Bluffs High School in 1931. As was customary at the time, the senior class traveled to Washington, D.C., and stayed in a local hotel. As the only black member of the graduating class, Mr. Denniston was obligated to stay in a private home and travel daily by bus to meet his fellow graduates at the hotel, which denied blacks admission. During high school, while working at a job maintaining the all-white tennis courts in Oak Bluffs, Mr. Denniston met several professors from Boston University who helped him find housing and work which would allow him to pursue higher education. He received his bachelor of education degree in 1939 and a master's of education in 1940, both from Boston University.
With few opportunities for black educators in New England in the 1940s, Mr. Denniston was forced to head to the South, where he became principal of the Gillespie School in Georgia, a private Episcopalian boarding school for black females. There he met Robbie, his wife of 47 years, who was the home economics teacher. Anxious to return to his roots in Massachusetts, he took advantage of one of the few working opportunities available to blacks in the forties in New England and became a dining car waiter on the Boston to Washington, D.C., run of the New Haven railroad.
Before retiring in 1978, Mr. Denniston was the first to hold the position of waiter in charge, a title created especially for black employees, since the title steward was reserved for white waiters. During his tenure, Mr. Denniston met and obtained autographs from many politicians, celebrities and sports figures including Joe Dimaggio, Ted Williams and Richard Nixon.
Mr. Denniston lived in Boston for more than 70 years. An avid music lover, he lived within walking distance of the New England Conservatory, the Berkelee School of Music and Symphony Hall where he and Robbie were 40-year season ticket subscribers to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. One of his proudest moments was in 1971, when his youngest son Donald's original composition, Sun Song, was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
Mr. Denniston's lifelong devotion to his faith continued in 1959 when he, his wife and three children joined Boston's Church of the Covenant. During his almost 50-year membership with the covenant he served in many different roles including that of church trustee and as pivotal member of many fund-raising committees. Especially loved by children, he frequently participated in their services and could often be found reading in the nursery. It was not unusual for parents to entice their kids into attending church by promising them a seat next to him. Mr. Denniston was an active volunteer and spokesman for Match-Up Interfaith Volunteers and also spent his spare time speaking to Boston public school children about the importance of education and hard work. Mr. Denniston's last residence was the Morville House where he and his wife had managed a weekly food pantry for a number of years until her death in 1987.
Mr. Denniston remained a lifelong Vineyarder, who became an unofficial ambassador for the Island by greeting people as they came off the ferries in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. He and his wife maintained their summer home in Oak Bluffs for more than 50 years, where they became well known for their gracious hospitality. As longtime activists, the Dennistons were involved in community affairs such as the Cottagers, a black social organization instrumental in raising funds for the Martha's Vineyard Hospital. For more than 10 years, Mr. Denniston served as vice president of the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs, where he welcomed all visitors, and worshipped alongside President Clinton during the President's summer vacations on the Island. He was also an active member of the Martha's Vineyard Historical Society.
Mr. Denniston is survived by his daughter, Deanne Clark of Natick, sons Dean Kimball Denniston Jr. of Brookline and Donald E. Denniston of Boston, five grandchildren, a great grandson, several nephews and a niece.
A memorial service for Mr. Denniston will be held on Saturday, April 8, at 3 p.m. at the Church of the Covenant, 67 Newbury street, Boston.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made out to the Boston Living Center (Gogo Project), c/o Pat Daoust, 303 Berkeley street #2, Boston, MA 02116 or Match-Up Interfaith Volunteers, 105 Chauncey street, Boston, MA 02111 or the Church of the Covenant, 67 Newbury street, Boston, MA 02116.
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