Remembering Community Activist Dennis (Denny) R. Whayne The Unite News publication remembers former City Council Member and community activist Denny Whayne. The following article is composed of Whayne’s obituary and local articles. by Unite News Staff Dennis Ray Whayne was born on January 8, 1945 in Springfield, Missouri. He was the youngest of two sons born to the late Wallace M. Whayne and Jeannie Christine Ingram-Whayne. Dennis was preceded in death by both parents and older brother, James Whayne, Sr. along with his ace-boon-coon/ brother Nate Adams. Dennis attended Lincoln School for three years until the Brown vs Board of Education integrated the schools in 1954. From there, he attended Boyd Elementary, Eastwood Jr. High School, and graduated from Central High School in 1963. In 1964, Dennis moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and united in marriage to Lynne Gail Peterson.
From that union, two children were born: Billy and Chrystie. In 1972, Dennis moved back to Springfield, Missouri where his journey of political activism spawned. Along his political course, Dennis married Marva McCauley in 1989 and lovingly embraced her children and grandchildren as his own. Mayor Ken McClure, on behalf of himself and the Springfield City Council, expresses his extreme sympathy upon hearing of the passing of former City Councilman Denny Whayne. “It is a sad night,” McClure said. “Springfield has lost an icon who worked tirelessly to bring communities of people together.” Whayne was the first African-American elected to the City
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Council since the Council/Manoring former Councilman Denny ager form of government was Whayne for his service on Council adopted in 1953 and served as and his decades-long commitment the Zone 1 representative for two to justice and equal rights. consecutive four-year terms. The Busch Municipal BuildFirst elected in 2001, Whayne ing’s fourth-floor conference room served until 2009 and was a memwas named at the time the “Counber of the Finance, Plans and Polcilman Denny Whayne Confericies, Administration, ence Room.” and Public InvolveA plaque detailment committees. ing his accomplishWhayne, who grew ments with his up in Springfield, photo adorns one joined the NAACP at of the walls in the 11 and later particiroom in which the pated in the Freedom City Council holds Rides of 1961. weekly workshops. He continued his When intercivil rights work in viewed in 2018, Dennis (Denny) R. Whayne Tulsa, where racial Whayne said, “Betensions were high in the late ing on City Council was one of the 1960s. best experiences of my entire life. He moved back to Springfield My mindset on the council was to in 1972 and served as president try to move the city of Springfield of the Springfield chapter of the forward.” NAACP from 1980 until 1988. Dennis Ray Whayne passed in He worked for the City’s Fipeace at the age of 77. He was a nance department from 1975 until devoted father, grandfather, and 1985. who shared his heart with two City Council unanimously loving families. passed a resolution in 2018 hon-
