Mary Denton

Mary Denton ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium on Mar. 17, 2026.Mary Denton passed away on March 6th at the age of 84 after enduring several years with the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's. While her family is deeply saddened by the sudden loss, they are comforted by knowing that she provided much joy and laughter during her lifetime.Mary was born in Ironton, Missouri and raised by her single mother in the small town of Bismarck. She attended Bismarck High School where she played volleyball and was a member of the cheerleading squad. When she was 17, possibly in collaboration with her grandmother whom she loved to bake with, she was invited by the St. Louis Globe-Democrat newspaper to compete in a baking contest, from thousands of applicants, for her recipe entry for a walnut fudge layer cake. After graduating high school, she married Ron Denton and moved to St. Louis. Mary worked as a hairdresser for a while before working in retail in downtown St. Louis where she was able to watch the construction of the Gateway Arch during her lunch breaks, a unique experience that she enjoyed telling others. In 1980, they relocated to Sumter, South Carolina to pursue an advancement opportunity with Ron's employer. She spent the next 45 years among her friends in Sumter where she was also an active member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.Mary is survived by her son, Stephen Denton (Alicia) and her daughter, Michelle Carter, her three grandchildren, Anna (Mike), Sarah and Miles, and a great grandchild, Nikhil, who was born just a day after her death.That high school cheerleader spirit never left her. She had an energetic and playful personality that always served her well whether to make new friends or to enjoy those she already had. There was nothing that she wouldn't do to help and support whatever was needed. She never missed a baseball game, a softball game, dance recital, band concert or any other activities that her children were involved in. She possessed a creative passion that manifested in various forms over the years from arts and crafts to quilting and sewing later in life. She will be remembered as a wonderful mother, a caring wife and companion, and a reliable and compassionate friend that sought joy and happiness out of every day. Her lively spirit and infectious laugh will live on in all that knew her.A service will be held at Elmore Cannon Stephens Funeral Home in Sumter, SC at 1:30 Friday, March 20, 2026.Memorials can be sent to the Alzheimer's Association to aid in providing care, support and research for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.