Dennis Gay Hensley of Williston, ND formerly of Harlem, Montana passed away at Bethel Lutheran home on February 16, 2025 due to cancer complications.

Dennis was born on May 23, 1955 in Hardley, Arkansas to Lloyd and Dorothy (Holmes) Hensley. Dennis was the third of four children.

Despite quitting school his junior year, Dennis was very intelligent. Dennis later served in the army for two years and was a very hard worker always busy. He spent time working on ranches hauling and cutting wood repairing small engines all as a side business, as well as working on bigger cars and trucks. Dennis had many business ventures in his life. He had a car fall on him which injured him with recurrent pain from the accident. There seemed to be nothing he couldn’t fix. Many weekends were spent getting up before the sun and driving to the “hills” of Montana to cut down trees and make chords of wood. Dennis could almost always be found in the garage working on one project or another or the mastermind behind pranking those he loved.

Dennis met and fell in love with Janie Sargent. The two were together for several years but later split due to Dennis’s struggles with alcoholism. Janie had three small children that Dennis helped to raise. They had one child together.

Dennis lived much of his life in various Montana cities but due to failing health moved to Williston to be closer to his youngest daughter in 2014, after many years of absence they were able to reconnect. Dennis entered Bethel home that summer where he remained until his passing.

Dennis is survived by his daughters, Felicia (Morgan) Axelson of Devils Lake, ND and Jackie Hensley of Great Falls, Montana; stepchildren, Anthony Sargent of Grenora ND, Richie Sargent of Williston, ND and Rebecca (Randy) Wyland of Grenora, ND; siblings, Lula (Jim) Price of Fromberg, Montana, Lottie (Kolt)Tellock of Thermopolis, Wyoming and Richard (Berni) Hensley of De Borgia, Montana; As well as many nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd (1997) and Dorothy (2008); and infant sister, Tammy (1968).

Thank You