Dennis Sheldon Wynn

Born in Tallahassee, Florida, Dennis Sheldon Wynn was the oldest child of Sheldon and Virginia Wynn. He had the joy of growing up in a Christian home and at an early age was led to the Lord by a Sunday school teacher. With loving, hospitable parents, Dennis had many godly influences in his life, including his pastor and other notable Christian leaders who occasionally stayed in their home.

As he grew up, Dennis developed a desire to be a good example and wanted to attend a Christian university, though he did not know what studies he should pursue. In 1974 he completed a program in the Institute of Christian Service at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, and through encouragement from a pastor friend accepted a teaching position in a small Christian school in a small rural town in Georgia, and there learned he had a love and a gift for teaching.

In 1974 he served on the summer camp staff of Sky Ranch Camp in Marietta, South Carolina, where he met Gaye Moss from Greenville, South Carolina. Their mutual love for God, concern for young people, and interest in teaching became the seeds for a good friendship. A few years later when he had a serious case of flu, Dennis was overwhelmed with the pampering of older ladies in his church who brought him tasty meals to help in his recovery. This planted an interest in finding a wife. One day he browsed through a college yearbook recalling young ladies he knew. Just as he closed the book, he saw Gaye’s picture in the Academy senior class. Soon after that he visited Gaye in Greenville, and it did not take long for the friendship to blossom into love. They were married on June 9, 1979, in War Memorial Chapel at Bob Jones University, and Gaye joined him on the faculty of Christian Park Academy in Georgia.

During the next few years in Georgia, God gave Dennis and Gaye two sons, David and Jonathan, and gave Dennis a desire to further his teaching education. His love for nature, animals and botany directed him toward science. In 1985 they moved to Greenville, SC, where they joined Hampton Park Baptist Church and Gaye became a teacher in Hampton Park Christian School. Dennis pursued a degree in Science Education at BJU while working part-time in the university’s warehouse. Later he earned a master’s degree in biology education. Their third son, Nathan, was born in 1986.

Dennis finished his degree in 1990 and became a science teacher at HPCS. Through the years he taught several different classes from seventh grade life science to senior class physics, but his favorite subject was biology. His students remember “Mr. Wynn” as a caring, compassionate, and patient teacher who taught with a smile on his face and joy in his heart. Most will never forget his sense of humor and the zany little science songs, such as “Amoeba,” that he often sang to the class. He positively impacted the lives of his students and a few developed a special bond, keeping in touch and becoming life-long friends. Dennis’s peers will remember him as a man of principle, consistent and loyal, who often served behind the scenes. He often did photography for school events, used his EMT training as a first responder for school emergencies, and gave assistance to Gaye with her extra responsibilities and projects. He retired from teaching in 2020.

Dennis loved all the roles God gave him in life. He particularly enjoyed traveling and spending time with his wife, fishing with his sons, and backyard gardening, but in recent years his favorite pastime has been just being a grandpa. His grandchildren loved walks with him as he explained the growth of plants or the development of figs on his trees, and they delighted in the character voices he used when reading to them. His “pirate voice” always brought giggles.

He became ill in December. He entered the hospital on December 31 and did not return home. He quietly went to be with his Savior on Sunday, May 16, with complications related to Covid.

In addition to his loving wife, Dennis is survived by three sons, David (Natalie) of Glendale, AZ, Jon (Christina) of Schaumburg, IL, and Nathan (Jennifer) of Travelers Rest, SC; nine grandchildren, William, Taylor, Charlotte, Sabrina, Jack, Annabelle, Henry, Tessa, and George; his mother, Virginia Wynn, and his brother, Roger Wynn, both of Tallahassee, FL; mother-in-law Ann Moss, of Greenville, SC, brother- and sister-in-law, Greg and Sheila Moss; nieces and nephews, Jacob (Neva) Wynn, Zac Wynn, Brandon (Kamri) Moss and their son Garrett, and Chelsea Moss.

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his sister, Gayle Wynn.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 22, at 2:00 p.m. at Hampton Park Baptist Church, and the visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. Gifts in his memory may be made to the Financial Aid Fund of Hampton Park Christian School, 875 State Park Road, Greenville, SC 29609 or to The Wilds Christian Camp, P. O. Box 509, Taylors, SC 29687.