Jean Denley

Jean Denley passed away Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. She was 97 years old.  All services and burial will be held in Bruce, Miss.  Parker Memorial Funeral Home in Bruce will direct.  
Jean was born in Covington County, Miss. on October 10, 1928. Jean was born at home on a farm and was one of 16 children. She moved to Bruce, Miss., where she met her future husband, George Denley, in a cafe where she was working at as a waitress. They were married from 1956-1974. Even though George passed away at a young age, she never took off her wedding rings and wore them until her last breath. They had one daughter named Vicki. 
Jean was a living angel and helped anyone who needed it. She showed people love and grace wherever she went. Jean moved around many places during her life, including different areas of Mississippi, Alabama and finally Iowa. Everywhere she went, she touched the hearts of many. If you ever had the honor of meeting her, you, too, would have said you’d met a real-life angel. Her cooking was legendary and she was known for her scratch coconut cakes around holiday time. She also enjoyed working for Kellwood as a seamstress for many years in Bruce. After she retired, she moved to Haleyville for over 20 years, where she made many friends and touched many lives. 
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Denley; daughter, Vicki Denley Riddle; father, Ramsey Abercrombie; mother, Lou Mitchell Abercrombie; brothers-in-law, Eddie Denley and James Roy Denley, sister-in-law, Geneva Coleman and a host of sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews.
Survivors are granddaughter, Carla (Kevin) Salyers; her great-grandson and sunshine of her life, Kevin Salyers, III- great-grandson David “Bruce” Salyers, to be born February, 2026; sister, Loretta Grice and many nieces and nephews.