Eileen Denning
June 4, 1939 — July 31, 2022
Eileen Frances (Murphy) Denning was the eighth child born to J.P. and Sophie (Kaup) Murphy on June 4, 1939 at home in Stuart, NE. She was a faithful member of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stuart.
Eileen and her siblings rode a horse to a one-room country school for their elementary education; except for the years they made their First Communion and Confirmation. Those years Eileen lived with her grandparents in town during the week. Her high school education was at St. Mary's boarding school in O'Neill, NE, where she graduated with the class of 1956. In 1960 she earned her elementary education degree from College of St. Mary in Omaha. She then taught in Omaha, and Aurora, CO. After a long distance courtship with Mick Denning, she returned to the Midwest and they were united in marriage on Aug. 3, 1963 at St. Boniface in Stuart. They made their home in Neola, IA and Eileen taught at Underwood and Tri-Center schools. She earned her master's degree from Omaha University in 1967. In 1972, the family moved to a farm west of Avoca, Iowa. When the kids grew older Eileen taught at Oakland elementary school, was a substitute teacher at area schools and worked at REM-Leadway. She was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Avoca where she was a lector, Eucharistic minister, CCD teacher and served on the parish council.
Eileen was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and dear friend. She had a rich and abundant prayer life. Her faith and family were the center of her world. She loved unconditionally, cooked enthusiastically and socialized with ease. She was an avid reader and detailed storyteller, especially when it came to stories of growing up in the Sandhills with her beloved siblings. As a Nebraskan, born and raised, she never gave up on the Husker football team and enjoyed ribbing her grandkids about opposing teams. She looked forward to and enjoyed attending her children and grandchildren's activities. She was a life-long student, most recently crafting with diamond art and learning to play Wordle. She kept in touch through letter writing, and more recently Facebook and FaceTime. The grandkids never knew when Grandma would Facetime but loved hearing from her.
She is survived by her children Julie (Vaughn) Babbitt of Emerson, IA; Jennifer (Steve) Kock of Hancock, IA; Tony (Kathy) Denning of Avoca, IA; Maureen (Conrad) Meis of Algona, IA; Ted (Stacie) Denning of Neola, IA; James Denning (Katie) of Waukee, IA; Kelly (Laura) Denning of Omaha, NE; grandchildren and great children Nathan (Jennifer) Babbitt, and their children Mya and Jake, Michael (Carrie) Babbitt, and their children Laura, Quinn, and Holly, Jared (Betsy) Babbitt, and their children, Brielle, Brecken and Eilee, Sophie, Olivia, and Julia Kock, Hannah, Josie, Claire, and Nick Denning, Maria, John, Joseph, and Daniel Meis, and Zach (fiancé Olivia Goodale), Josh (Gabrielle), Sara, Michael and Grace Denning and Louis Denning, sweet girls Peyton and Piper; her siblings, Cornelius Murphy of Stuart, NE, Henry (Helen) Murphy of Stuart, Sophie Ingraham of Aurora, CO, Jane (Tom) LaHood of Omaha, Dr. James (Cherie) Murphy of Norfolk, NE, Rita Murphy of Paonia, CO and John (Alissandra) Murphy of New York, NY, brother-in-law Bernard (Martha) Denning, sister-in-laws Pauline Fischer, Angela McDonald, Kathleen (Mike) Dermody; many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Mick, infant daughter Sophie, sisters, Betty Ann, Mary Robertcht, Sr. Maureen Murphy and her brother Frank; sister-in-laws Edith Murphy, Joan Murphy, Mary Corrine Sweeney, JoAnn Corrin, Leone McCarthy, Carolyn Denning; brother-in-laws Dick Ingraham, Jack McDonald, Bob Sweeney, Leo Fischer, Don McCarthy, Wally Corrin and Eugene Denning.
Eileen and her siblings rode a horse to a one-room country school for their elementary education; except for the years they made their First Communion and Confirmation. Those years Eileen lived with her grandparents in town during the week. Her high school education was at St. Mary's boarding school in O'Neill, NE, where she graduated with the class of 1956. In 1960 she earned her elementary education degree from College of St. Mary in Omaha. She then taught in Omaha, and Aurora, CO. After a long distance courtship with Mick Denning, she returned to the Midwest and they were united in marriage on Aug. 3, 1963 at St. Boniface in Stuart. They made their home in Neola, IA and Eileen taught at Underwood and Tri-Center schools. She earned her master's degree from Omaha University in 1967. In 1972, the family moved to a farm west of Avoca, Iowa. When the kids grew older Eileen taught at Oakland elementary school, was a substitute teacher at area schools and worked at REM-Leadway. She was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Avoca where she was a lector, Eucharistic minister, CCD teacher and served on the parish council.
Eileen was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and dear friend. She had a rich and abundant prayer life. Her faith and family were the center of her world. She loved unconditionally, cooked enthusiastically and socialized with ease. She was an avid reader and detailed storyteller, especially when it came to stories of growing up in the Sandhills with her beloved siblings. As a Nebraskan, born and raised, she never gave up on the Husker football team and enjoyed ribbing her grandkids about opposing teams. She looked forward to and enjoyed attending her children and grandchildren's activities. She was a life-long student, most recently crafting with diamond art and learning to play Wordle. She kept in touch through letter writing, and more recently Facebook and FaceTime. The grandkids never knew when Grandma would Facetime but loved hearing from her.
She is survived by her children Julie (Vaughn) Babbitt of Emerson, IA; Jennifer (Steve) Kock of Hancock, IA; Tony (Kathy) Denning of Avoca, IA; Maureen (Conrad) Meis of Algona, IA; Ted (Stacie) Denning of Neola, IA; James Denning (Katie) of Waukee, IA; Kelly (Laura) Denning of Omaha, NE; grandchildren and great children Nathan (Jennifer) Babbitt, and their children Mya and Jake, Michael (Carrie) Babbitt, and their children Laura, Quinn, and Holly, Jared (Betsy) Babbitt, and their children, Brielle, Brecken and Eilee, Sophie, Olivia, and Julia Kock, Hannah, Josie, Claire, and Nick Denning, Maria, John, Joseph, and Daniel Meis, and Zach (fiancé Olivia Goodale), Josh (Gabrielle), Sara, Michael and Grace Denning and Louis Denning, sweet girls Peyton and Piper; her siblings, Cornelius Murphy of Stuart, NE, Henry (Helen) Murphy of Stuart, Sophie Ingraham of Aurora, CO, Jane (Tom) LaHood of Omaha, Dr. James (Cherie) Murphy of Norfolk, NE, Rita Murphy of Paonia, CO and John (Alissandra) Murphy of New York, NY, brother-in-law Bernard (Martha) Denning, sister-in-laws Pauline Fischer, Angela McDonald, Kathleen (Mike) Dermody; many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Mick, infant daughter Sophie, sisters, Betty Ann, Mary Robertcht, Sr. Maureen Murphy and her brother Frank; sister-in-laws Edith Murphy, Joan Murphy, Mary Corrine Sweeney, JoAnn Corrin, Leone McCarthy, Carolyn Denning; brother-in-laws Dick Ingraham, Jack McDonald, Bob Sweeney, Leo Fischer, Don McCarthy, Wally Corrin and Eugene Denning.
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