Larry Dennison May 25, 1942 ~ October 22, 2024

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Larry Dennison on October 22, 2024 in Blanding, UT. Larry was born in Crown Point, NM to Bertha Watson Tom and Oscar Dennison on May 25, 1942.
He was a loving father, friend, actor, and advocate for the Navajo people. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Larry spent his childhood years on the Navajo reservation attending elementary in Gallup, NM. He was seven years old when he entered the LDS Indian placement program, being placed with Lilian Elton, Gladys, and Maurice Davis. These placements shaped Larry’s life in positive and loving ways that are forever remembered as a second family. 
Continuing his education at Provo High, during one of his classes, he was scouted by the BYU movie company to be an actor in a movie involving Native Americans “A Chosen People”. Shortly after graduating from high school, Larry attended an LDS mission in the central states. 
Upon return, he worked at the BYU Motion Pictures department as an actor/Narrator/interpreter and location scout. See “Bitter Wind” on YouTube. He attended BYU Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
While attending BYU he worked as a Native dancer in The Lamanite Generation Performance group educating and talking about the Native people.
He later attended the University of Utah to study law and worked as an education media specialist with the Western Regional Indian Alcoholism Training Center at the Uof U, where he was a legal aid assistant to a Vista lawyer.
Larry worked with migrant and labor relations and was a member of the Indian Civil Rights Task Force. Larry worked the summers as a Federal Park Ranger in Canyon de Chelly and Timpanogos cave in Cedar Hills, UT. He was noted as being a favorite guide with his charisma and charm being able to tell a good story and being the only Native American Guide.
Larry worked for the CEO training center in Mexican Hat NM and later moved to SLC to work as the chief executive officer of the division of social services. He later worked as the Executive Director of the Salt Lake Indian Health Services in 1985.
Larry tried his best to fill the gaps and the unfulfilled needs of the native people, he worked to provide equal clothing distribution and be prepared for food inadequacies the Natives often face. 
Larry enjoyed many hobbies such as golf, Elk and deer hunting, as well as watercolors and painting. He also worked side jobs as a photographer. He married Helen Jill Ferguson, in Provo in 1964. They had four children: John Larry Dennison, Belinda Sue Dennison, Allyson Dennison, and Terri Dennison.
Larry was preceded in death by their Mother Bertha Tom, Father Oscar Dennison, Brother Eugene Dennison, sisters Della Bedoni, and Emily Dennison. Survived by Brother Leland Tom and sister Laurita Saunders.
Graveside service will be at the family plot in Rock Springs to be announced.