Denton “Denny” Edgar Lazenby of Baxter Springs, Kansas passed from this life on Tuesday December 24, 2019 at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. He was 76.
Denny was born on January 10, 1943 in Parsons, Kansas to Denton and Edna (McFerron) Lazenby. Just a little-known fact about how he came to be known as Denny. Mother’s cousins in Tulsa, when visiting would pull him around on a throw rug in the living room, and began calling him Denny Edgar, with Edgar later being dropped. This also helped with phone calls, having to ask do you want Big Denton or Little Denton.
Denny was very proud to have been an Eagle Scout. His dad served as Scout Master. As a senior in high school Denny also won the national JayCee’s Driving Road E-O. When he received the award, he shook Vice-President Nixon’s hand.
While newly married and living in Oklahoma City for 10 years, he did bi-vocational music and youth ministry in several local churches. After being called into the pastoral ministry, he took his first pastorate in the Oklahoma panhandle.
From there he attended Southwestern Baptist Seminary and received a diploma in Theology. From there he served as Minister of Music and Youth Pastor at Baxter Springs First Baptist Church. Later he served as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Jasper, Missouri and at Nash, Oklahoma First Baptist Church. Denny married Janet (Case) on January 1, 1987 in Baxter Springs, Kansas. He owned and operated Denny’s Small Engine Repair Shop in Miami, OK for many years, before working at Sears on small engines. He then worked part-time at the American Bank in Baxter Springs before his retirement.
Denny loved to sing with groups and learned to sing in the Youth Choir at the Miami, Oklahoma First Baptist Church. He also sang one year with the Oklahoma State University Men’s Glee Club. Recently, he sang with the local Keenagers Chorus from Riverton.
Denny has been very concerned with our local churches throwing out the Hymn book and moving to praise music. Seemed to him that many of our old songs from centuries ago were no longer in vogue and to be cast aside. Therefore, we’re going to pay tribute to the long-loved hymns, so we would want everyone to sing from their heart. Buckets will be provided for those that say, “they can’t carry a tune in bucket,” so let’s make Denny rejoice with us in song.
Denny is survived by his wife Janet Lazenby of the home, four sons Steve Lazenby and wife Brenda of Kansas City, Missouri, Matthew Lazenby of Rancho Cordova, Ca, Douglas Ball and wife Lisa of Pittsburg, KS, and Daniel Ball and wife Angie of Tulsa, OK; two daughters, Malinda (Lazenby) Stewart and husband Joe of Bentonville, AR, and Deborah Ball McGeorge and husband Todd of Pittsburg, KS; two sisters, Martha Peck of Pryor, OK, and Margaret Hawthorne of Cache, OK; along with eight grandchildren. Denny is preceded in death by his parents.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, December 30, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church, Baxter Springs, KS. Pastor Dorcia Johnson will officiate. Family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., on Monday at the church. Burial of ashes will follow in the Baxter Springs Cemetery.
Denny loved to sing with groups and learned to sing in the Youth Choir at the Miami, Oklahoma First Baptist Church. He also sang one year with the Oklahoma State University Men’s Glee Club. Recently, he sang with the local Keenagers Chorus from Riverton.
Denny has been very concerned with our local churches throwing out the Hymn book and moving to praise music. Seemed to him that many of our old songs from centuries ago were no longer in vogue and to be cast aside. Therefore, we’re going to pay tribute to the long-loved hymns, so we would want everyone to sing from their heart. Buckets will be provided for those that say, “they can’t carry a tune in bucket,” so let’s make Denny rejoice with us in song.
Denny is survived by his wife Janet Lazenby of the home, four sons Steve Lazenby and wife Brenda of Kansas City, Missouri, Matthew Lazenby of Rancho Cordova, Ca, Douglas Ball and wife Lisa of Pittsburg, KS, and Daniel Ball and wife Angie of Tulsa, OK; two daughters, Malinda (Lazenby) Stewart and husband Joe of Bentonville, AR, and Deborah Ball McGeorge and husband Todd of Pittsburg, KS; two sisters, Martha Peck of Pryor, OK, and Margaret Hawthorne of Cache, OK; along with eight grandchildren. Denny is preceded in death by his parents.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, December 30, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church, Baxter Springs, KS. Pastor Dorcia Johnson will officiate. Family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., on Monday at the church. Burial of ashes will follow in the Baxter Springs Cemetery.
Honorary pallbearers for the service are the Baxter Springs Fire Department, Baxter Springs Ambulance, and Baxter Springs Police Department. Memorial donations may be made to the Baxter Springs Fire Department, Baxter Springs Ambulance, Baxter Springs Police Department, or First United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be expressed at www.derfeltfuneralhomes.com.
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