Allen Lee Dennis
Allen Dennis, 79, passed away peacefully at his home in Marshfield, Missouri, on May 10, 2025.
Allen was born on September 17, 1945, the only child of Howard and Rilla Ann (Hightower) Dennis of Marshfield, where Allen lived his entire life.
As a child, Allen loved baseball, which he played with his ragtag baseball gang, the North Pine Street Cardinals. At Marshfield High School (class of ‘63), “Big Al,” as he was often known, was a golf standout and the Yearbook King; worked part-time at Barth’s Men’s Department Store, which would inform Allen’s lifelong appreciation for fine clothing; and apprenticed with local businessman Wallace McFadin, a pivotal influence on Allen’s life.
After graduating in 1971 from Southwest Missouri State University, Allen became a partner with McFadin Sales and maintained ownership and operations of McFadin Storage for five decades.
Allen was married to Mary Ruth Henson for 42 years, from 1968 until Mary’s death in 2010. The couple shared a love of music, arrowhead hunting, socializing with friends and family, and, especially, raising their beloved daughter Cassie who was born in 1976.
Throughout, Allen loved his hometown: He was a loyal community member and avid supporter of local businesses, served on the board of directors for Liberty Bank, and was a member of the United Methodist Church and UMC’s Men’s Group.
Among his many roles as a prominent Marshfieldian, Allen had a special relationship with the Marshfield Country Club (now Whispering Oaks Golf Course). He was a lifelong Club member, leader, and supporter who served as Club president for several years. In 1987, Allen set a course record by scoring a nine-hole round of 28.
Allen had an affinity for Southwestern/Native American culture and artifacts, a passion that took him regularly to Arizona to collect art, play golf, and visit friends. One of his fondest memories was a 1997 trip to Scotland, where he played golf at the historic Old Course at St. Andrews, the world’s oldest golf course.
Allen also took delight in the beauty of his surroundings, including the natural world and was a keen classifier of trees; he enjoyed listening to his favorite musical artists, and watching old westerns and the Golf Channel at home.
Allen was, above all, a loyal friend, with whom he was unfailingly attentive and supportive; Allen changed many lives with his generosity and the opportunities he extended to others.
In 2013, Allen reunited with his high school friend Sue McCaskill, and the couple married and spent the last 12 years of Allen’s life together—hosting friends, traveling, taking pleasure in their dog, and appreciating their happy golden years together. It was the perfect finale to a life well-lived—successful, charitable, joyful, and kind.
Allen is survived by his wife Sue McCaskill and their faithful dog Hachi; daughter Cassie Dennis of Kansas City; two stepsons, Steve Leftridge (Kristyn) of St. Louis and Shane Leftridge (Colleen) of Springfield, MO; six stepgrandchildren; and a countless number of cherished friends and extended family.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., in Marshfield United Methodist Church, under the direction of Fraker Funeral Home, Inc., with visitation to follow. Private interment will be at a later date in the Marshfield Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Whispering Oaks Golf Course of Marshfield or Marshfield United Methodist Church for landscaping and grounds maintenance, in care of Fraker Funeral Home, Inc., P.O. Box 85, Marshfield, Missouri 65706.