Richmond street named in honor of beloved pastor

Street sign in honor of Dr. Kenneth DennisPhoto byYouTube Screenshot

Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Dennis, Sr. dedicated his life to serving his church and his community. He is gone but not forgotten. In fact, his community loved him so much that they came together to get a street named after him.

Street named after Kenneth Dennis

Street naming announcementPhoto byGreater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church Facebook Screenshot

On Friday, May 26, 2023, East Charity Street, between North 1st and North 2nd Streets, was renamed and dedicated to the late Dr. Kenneth E. Dennis Sr., a longtime leader in Richmond's religious community.

The pastor's widow, Loretta Dennis, said:

"He did so much in this community, he loved this community."

Dennis' longtime service

For nearly 34 years, Rev. Dennis served as the pastor of the Greater Mount Moriah Baptist Church, located at 913 North 1st Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist ChurchPhoto byYouTube Screenshot

The pastor also served as the chaplain for the Richmond Police Department. He coordinated grief counseling programs for families of homicide victims in the city of Richmond and the surrounding area.

He was a mentor to students in Richmond Public Schools, an adjunct instructor at VUU’s Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, and a teacher at the Richmond, Virginia Seminary.

Rev. Dennis also was a member of the Henrico Ministers’ Conference and was an officer of the Tuckahoe Baptist Association and the Men’s Division of the International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows. He belonged to the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Dr. Dennis' death

Rev. Dennis died on February 18, 2021 at his home in Henrico County at the age of 65. His survivors include Loretta Dennis, his wife of 35 years, two sons, Kenneth E. “K.J.” Dennis Jr. and Kendall E. Dennis, his mother Susie Dennis, sister, Judy Ann Dennis, and three grandchildren.

Loretta Dennis concluded after the sign was revealed:

"Without the support of Kenneth E. Dennis and the Greater Mount Moriah Baptist Church, I don't know what these members and friends in the Gilpin Court would be."

Dr. Dennis loved people and people loved him. Many remember him for always having a smile on his face as shown in the photo above.