Martha L. Dennis

Martha L. Dennis passed away on October 9th, 2025 surrounded by her family. Born to Willard and Mary Lance on February 19th, 1938 in Atlanta, GA, she moved to NJ at age 4. Her mom, Mary, would swear that the moment they stepped foot on NJ soil, every curl on Martha’s head fell flat, and that “flat hair” would be the bane of her existence from that moment on. In high school, Martha turned heads wherever she went, especially behind the wheel of her classic red T-bird. Her 1950’s style was effortlessly cool and confident, drawing the attention of more than a few hopeful suitors. One in particular, Bernard Herrman, was steadfast in his pursuit to catch Martha’s eye. His persistence paid off when she finally gave him a shot and they quickly fell in love, becoming Penns Grove’s cutest sweethearts. They were married in 1958 and together had two children, Lance and Jayme. Bern tragically passed away in 1960, leaving Martha widowed. After the loss of Bern, Martha met and fell in love with Dick Dennis and they married in 1962. They were married for 61 years, until Dick’s death in 2023. Together, their “yours, mine, and ours” crew totaled 9 children, whose reputation as the best dressed kids in Carneys Point preceded them. The house may have been a mess, but those kids never had a hair out of place. Her greatest source of pride, that love only multiplied as they each grew and started families of their own. Her grandkids were the light of her life and she showed it by marking each one of them in lipstick kisses in her signature shade, Revlon Lilac Champagne. From Valentine’s Day to Easter and Thanksgiving, the Dennis home was always a gathering place for the holidays. Martha found joy in opening her home to family and friends, and she took great pride in hosting warm celebrations where the true meaning of each holiday was reflected in her thoughtful decorations and loving hospitality. One of her proudest achievements was gaining the moniker of “the good house” on Jefferson Street that served up candy apples to the neighborhood kids on Halloween. On more than one occasion, her beloved Dick had to stand guard for kids that tried to swap masks for another helping. If you were lucky enough to know Martha, you know that there was nothing like a Christmas Eve party with her as your host. Every year, it seemed there’d be a new face joining the celebration and their invitation included a pair of Christmas jammies and a personalized stocking on her mantle. She made sure that everyone felt welcome, and there was always room for one more. The photos of her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids celebrating with Santa every 12/24 were among her most prized possessions. She truly made every holiday feel like magic, because that's what she was. Martha often joked that she wanted to write a memoir titled “Life is a Four Letter Word”, and while she never wrote that book, her example of strength, poise, and grace will prove to be a lasting legacy in each and every one of us that had the privilege of calling her ours. Martha is survived by her nine children, Terry Dennis (Donna), Lance Herrman (Christine), Jayme Herrman Smith, Scott Dennis (Leslie), Robin DiSantis-Gehringer (Bill), Bryant Dennis, Kelly Dennis Newkirk, Bill Dennis (Nicole), Ellie Smith (Dave), and honorary “10th kid”, Doris Patrick Johnson, her grandchildren, Amanda (Ryan), Michael, BJ (Aileen), Jordan (Sarah), Madison, Olivia, Jillian (Michael), Ashley (Eddie), Lex (Jessica), Jackson (Meghan), Lauren (Chris), Dewey (Kate), Christie (Adam), Stephanie (Lucas), Wyatt, Reese, Samantha, Marley (Zach), Jacob, and Helen, great-grandchildren Emma, Ella, Andrew, Aidan, Joey, Lance, Ea, Alice, Rose, Dustin, Nathan, Lorelei, Declan, Harper, Cooper, Braylee, William, Gavin, Quinn, Archie, Macklin, and Beckett and great great granddaughter Jayda She was predeceased by her husband, Dick “Dicky Boy” Dennis, first husband, Bernard Herrman, her parents, Willard and Mary Lance, sisters, Ruby and Ruth Stratton, son-in-laws, Bill DiSantis and Mike DiTeodoro, and her dog baby, Puttsy. A celebration of Martha’s life will be held on October 25th from 11-3 at Maria’s by DiPaolo’s at 72 N. Virginia Ave. Penns Grove, NJ 08069.

Martha L. Dennis

February 19, 1938 - October 9, 2025