Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church

Riverdale Baptist Church

John Prescott Denison, 61, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, May 25, 2017 at his home due to complications related to diabetes. Born on September 1, 1955 in Washington, DC, John lived his entire life in southern Prince George’s County, primarily in Fort Washington, near his family and the home office of his business, Denison Landscaping.  John’s experiences working at sister, Pat Gallahan’s farm on Gallahan Road in his teen years, led him to pursue a career in landscaping. John began cutting grass with one lawnmower out of the back of his car while attending the University of Maryland. After receiving a degree in Applied Horticulture, he started his landscaping business. Denison Landscaping grew immensely over the years and in 2017 was ranked as the 23rd largest landscaping company in the United States by Lawn and Landscape magazine. In 1975, John completed his first landscaping installation. By 1985, Denison was flourishing, growing from 3 employees to 60, and twenty years later, in 2000, numbered over 400 employees. Today, the company has over 700 employees and grows its own plant material on over 1400 acres of land located in Prince George’s County. Denison is a family operated business, and three of John’s children, Joshua, James and Katelyn, his brother, Duane and nieces and nephews work for the company.  John is renowned for his relentless hard work and determination, compassion for those around him, and his devotion to family, friends and employees. These characteristics were the driving force behind John’s success in growing Denison from a single lawn mower to a multi-million-dollar company. John never hesitated to ask others for help or make new friendships and business connections. He used his success at Denison to improve the lives of everyone around him. John made numerous contributions to his surrounding community and never hesitated to help someone in need. As a result, he made lifelong friendships and relationships. Despite his success, John remained true to his roots (no pun intended). After forty-four years in business, John continued to interact daily with employees from every division of the company, including new hires doing landscape installations. He could be found in the “yard” every morning from Monday to Saturday where the landscape crews loaded and prepared to leave for their job sites. He spent the rest of his day among the other Denison offices and tree farms. John’s office door was open to anyone. He cared deeply for his employees and made sure they knew how much they were appreciated. Above all else, John loved his family. John’s wife Donna, his children and grandchildren were the center of his life. John was happiest when his family surrounded him at home and at work. He was a loving husband and father, a self-made man and a pillar of the community. John Denison will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all those who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Donna Deakins Denison; his children, Joshua Denison and his wife, Monica, James Denison and his wife, Amanda, Katelyn Venuti and her husband, Matthew and John David Denison; five grandchildren, Abigail, Amelia, Joshua, Elena, and Levi; his brothers, Dwight and Duane Denison and numerous nieces, nephews and many other relatives and close friends. John was preceded in death by his father, Dwight Kellogg Denison in 1965; mother, Evelyn Levrio in 2004; sister, Sue Mona in 2003; brother, Frank Denison in 2013 and sister Patricia Gallahan in 2014. Friends are invited to celebrate John's life on Thursday, June 1 from 2 to 8 pm at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 5203 St. Barnabas Rd., Temple Hills, MD. Funeral service will be held on Friday, June 2 at 10 am at Riverdale Baptist Church, 1177 Largo Rd., Upper Marlboro, MD. A reception will follow from 12:30 to 3 pm at 15800 Sharpersville Rd., Waldorf, MD.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Christmas in April-Prince George’s County, 7915 Malcolm Rd., Clinton, MD 20735 or the Prince George’s County Police Foundation, Inc.- K-9 Unit Account, c/o Prince George’s County Police Headquarters, Office of the Chief, 7600 Barlowe Rd., Landover, MD 20785, ATTN: Prince George's County Police Foundation, Inc. or the Accokeek Volunteer Fire Department, P.O Box 226, Accokeek, MD 20607 or the Religious Sisters of Mercy, 6100 Wolverton Lane, Clinton, MD 20735. Condolences may be made by clicking the tab on this page.  

We have reserved blocks of rooms at the two hotels below. Reservations must be made by Wednesday (5/31). Block is for Thursday (6/1) and Friday (6/2) night:

Colony South Clinton MD 
7401 Surratts Road
Clinton MD 20735
$79 a night
Call (800) 537-1147 / (301) 877-4801
Ask for Celebration of Life  John Denison block 
 
Hampton Inn Waldorf
3750 Crain Hwy. 
Waldorf MD 20603
$104 a night 
Call (301) 632-9600
Ask for Denison Funeral Block

 


John Prescott Denison

John Prescott Denison

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