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  Ethan A. Dennison
Ethan Allen "Denny" Dennison was born on December 8, 1914, in Overbrook, Pennsylvania, to Clara Elizabeth Pugh, age 25, and Ethan Allen Dennison, age 33. He had one sister Anne and one brother Charles P. and in Rye his family lived at 155 Locust Ave. He graduated from Harvard College in 1937 and received a Masters Degree in Architecture from Yale in 1940.
 In 1941, while attending a prom, Mr. Dennison had a short dance with Frances Isabel Ferry. Ms. Ferry, already aware of Mr. Dennison, ''didn't like the looks of him at all . . . he was too good-looking.'' She accepted the dance, however, and soon decided that ''he wasn't so bad at all. In fact, he was quite nice. ''Over the next few months, Mr. Dennison and Ms. Ferry found themselves at the same parties. ''I started to like him more and more, and I guess he decided that he liked me too,'' she said. The two were married on Sept. 13, 1941.
After adventurous and heroic years in the Navy during World War II, during which Ethan received a letter of commendation from Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal.
 Dennison Commended Outstanding Performance in Enemy Air Attack
Ensign E. A. Dennison of the U. S.
Navy has been commended by Under
Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal for "outstanding performance on
duty while officer-in-charge of the
Armed Guard on board a U. S. merchant vessel on a recent voyage." He
is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ethan
Allen Dennison and lived for many
years on Locust Avenue.
On several occasions, the citation
stated, the vessel was under "enemy
air attack" and Ensign Dennison led
his men "with valor." The accurate
fire of their guns shot down "several
enemy aircraft" and damaged many
others. He was also commended for
his contributing* "to the -safe return of
the vessel from a dangerous voyage."
RYE, NEW YORK FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1943
When the war ended, he and his wife took up residence in Manhattan. In 1945 their first daughter, Lee, was born. Mr. Dennison returned to his architectural career and became an associate partner at Eggers and Higgins, remaining with the firm until his retirement.
During his tenure, the firm designed the Gateway Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., and a number of churches, college structures and office buildings around the country. Elected officials, community leaders and friends of Mr. Dennison remembered his warmth, good humor and decades of service to the community with glowing praise .
 Ethan, lovingly known as Denny by friends and neighbors, served as a board member on an impressive list of organizations. These included the Boy Scouts, Episcopal Housing Corp., Episcopal Social Services, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Trinity Parish in Manhattan, Marvelwood School in Connecticut and St. Peter's School in Peekskill, N.Y. He served on Community Board 8 in the Bronx, as a board member of the Riverdale Country School, director of the Riverdale Nature Preservancy and director and former president of Riverdale Neighborhood House. He was also a vestry member and warden of Christ Church Riverdale in New York City.
An avid sportsman, Ethan played tennis regularly until he was well into his 80s. He delighted and often amazed his doubles partners by using his height, reach and experience to defeat opponents who were twenty years younger. He spent his last day enjoying a dip in his neighbor's pool. He came home afterward, lay down for a nap, and died in his sleep.
 Ethan Allen Dennison, a summer resident of the Vineyard since 1947 as well as an architect and prominent community activist, died at his home in Riverdale, New York city on August 14. He was 92. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer.
At the time of his death, survivors included his wife Frances Ferry Dennison; daughters Lee Roussel of Falls Church, Va., Diana Smith of Lincoln and Elizabeth Dennison of Northampton; and sons Dr. Allen M. Dennison of Rumford, R.I., and Andrew O. Dennison of Carlisle; and 12 grandchildren. Mr. Dennison donated his body to the New York Presbyterian Hospital.
A memorial service was scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m., at Christ Church Riverdale, 5030 Henry Hudson Parkway, Riverdale, the Bronx, New York
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