Ethel Mae Shaver Dennis' Obituary
Ethel Mae Shaver Dennis, 94, of Albemarle, passed away on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Trinity Place. Her funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 22, 2025, in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ron Honeycutt officiating. Burial will follow at Anderson Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 PM on Friday evening at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.
Born March 5, 1931, in Stanly County, Ethel was the daughter of the late Otis Shaver and Bessie Smith Shaver. She was a devoted member of Anderson Grove Baptist Church and spent her life working with diligence, skill, and purpose. A talented seamstress and dedicated waitress, she owned and operated Dennis Ready Wear for over 30 years. She also worked in several beloved Stanly County fish houses-including Stony Gap Fish House, Jay's Seafood, and Blue Bay-where many came to know her warm spirit and unmatched work ethic.
Ethel will be remembered as the hardest-working woman many ever knew-a resilient, deeply motivated, and business-minded lady whose strength set an example for everyone around her. Her faith was central to her life, and she remained active in her church community. Family was her heart. She loved nothing more than visiting with loved ones, hosting family reunions for both her own family and her husband's, and bringing people together around the table.
A gifted cook and gracious hostess, Ethel welcomed neighbors, friends, and the many children who helped her husband, Raeford, feeding them with the same generosity she showed her family. She had an extraordinary ability to make the most of every moment; productivity, purpose, and service defined how she lived each day.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raeford Dennis, in 2014; her son, Ronald F. Dennis; her daughter, Nancy Shaver Pool; her siblings Rob Shaver, Hubert Shaver, Clyde Shaver, and Katherine Roberts.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Dora Dennis Efird and husband Steve of Albemarle, daughter-in-law, Bobbie Dennis of Albemarle; seven grandchildren: Gary Shaver (Tina) of Albemarle, Heath Efird (Michelle) of Albemarle, Philip Dennis (Melissa) of Danville, VA, Eric Efird (Rebecca) of Albemarle, John Dennis (Sheila) of Albemarle, Elizabeth Dennis (Scott Vaughan) of Camden, NC, and Paul Dennis of Paige, TX; 18 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; and a brother-in-law, Roy Roberts of Mt. Gilead.
Ethel's legacy is one of devotion, generosity, and tireless love-a life lived faithfully, fully, and always in service to others.
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