Frances Hoover Denny, age 96, of Dinwiddie, VA, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

Born in Jetersville, VA, Fran was the youngest of four children. She is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Nezzie Swofford Hoover; sisters, Elmina Adams and Ophelia Eanes; and brother, Charles Hoover.

Fran was a teenager when she started dating James Mallory (Mal) Denny and kept all of the letters he wrote to her when he served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Texas battleship shortly after WWII. Mal and Fran were married in 1949 and enjoyed forty happy years together until Mal's untimely passing in 1990.

Fran was a devoted Christian woman who served the Lord faithfully and who loved her family unconditionally. She was a longtime member of Western Heights Baptist Church where she worshiped faithfully for over 55 years; and in her later years, was a resident of the Brandermill Woods Retirement Community.

Fran is survived by her daughter Brenda Denny Spain (Lynn); and twin sons, Donald Mallory Denny (Lindsay) and Ronald James Denny (Dee). She was a loving 'Nannie' to her six grandchildren: Travis Spain (Anita), Randy Spain (Kate), Christy Spain Johnson (Josh), Ryan Denny (Jorden), Paul Denny, Sam Denny (Lindsay); and nine great-grandchildren: Lucas Spain, Mallory Spain, Maxwell Spain, Melina Spain, Marshall Spain, Briella Johnson, Parker Denny, Foster Denny, and soon to be arrival of Violet Frances Denny. She was a special aunt to her nieces and nephews, Gregory Eanes, Linda Eanes Hudson, Patsy Denny Mann, Terri Denny Horak, Julie Lewis, Mary Beth Rawls, and Scott Denny.

Fran was a loving wife, mom, Nannie, sister, aunt, and friend who will be missed by all who knew her.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the caregivers at Brandermill Woods for their compassionate care extended to Fran during her time there, and to Legacy Hospice for their care and support during the last several months.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at the Colonial Heights Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory, 2033 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Wednesday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Chester, Virgina.

In lieu of flowers, those who desire may make memorial donations to the charity of their choice, or to the Wildlife Center of Virginia, PO Box 1557, Waynesboro, VA 22980