Dr. Ruth Evelyn Dennis

Ruth E. Dennis was born in West Tennessee, Madison County on April 4, 1929 to the late John A. Gaines and Pennie McBride. Ruth Dennis was 89 years old and passed away on Saturday, May 26, 2018 from complications from a long fight with cancer.

Ruth received her early education in West Tennessee. She later moved and received a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with a minor in General Science from Lane College in Jackson TN. She received a Master’s degree in Statistics from Michigan State University. She received a PhD in Medical Sociology and Medical Anthropology-Medical Geography from Michigan State University. She also studied at the University of Nairobi Kenya in East Africa and she taught at the University of Liberia in Liberia West Africa as well.

Ruth Dennis wore many hats and worked in several places over the years. She began a career at McDonnel Aircraft Corporation and worked on SPUTNIK which was the first American space shuttle. She went on and worked at Aeronautical Charts as a Cartographer (a map maker) for the U.S. Government in St. Louis, Missouri. Ruth worked at Meharry Medical College as the Director of Behavioral Science. She then began her career which was one for 20 years of her life at Austin Peay State University. She was a Professor, the Chair of Department of Sociology and also the Director of African American Cultural Center. She continued on and in 1994 she became the Co-Director of the Kelly Miller Smith Center Against Abusive Behavior until she retired in February 2018 due to health problems. She did not want to retire, her spirit and work ethic was impressive. Throughout her life she became a strong advocate for human rights, civil rights, and women’s rights. She lived her life according to her beliefs that all people should be treated equally. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and worked side by side with Coretta Scott King. She was proud to be a member of many organizations that reinforced her belief system. She served as the chairwoman of the deacon board at New Visions Baptist Church. She was a member of the National Hookup of Black Women, She was the president of the Association for Social and Behavioral Scientists from 1986-1987 (ASBS), she was a member of The National Coalition of Black Women, a member Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and a lifetime member of the NAACP.
Ruth Dennis was preceded in death by her six siblings, Georgia Mason, John (JD) Gaines, Prince Alice Moore, Sherman Gaines, Roxanna Ross, Charles Gaines and her grandson Michael Bennett Sr.

Ruth is survived by three children: James Mays (Margaret), Christopher May (Theodora), and Winona McGowan (Anthony); eleven grandchildren, Deanna, Rachel, Jennifer, Josh, Jessica, Katrina, Megan, Stacey, Mario, Anthony (Tony) and Joy; twenty two great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, a host of other loved ones and friends.