Funeral services for the Rev. Dennis Elmer Fish, 72, of Cleveland, Tennessee, formerly, of Habersham County, were held Thursday, Jan. 20, at Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel. The Rev. Brian K. Williams, the Rev. Trent Smith and Mr. Arthur Stevens officiated. Interment directly followed in VFW Memorial Park in Demorest with military honors provided by the United States Marines and the Grant Reeves Honor Guard.
Rev. Fish passed away Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022.
Born Dec. 14, 1949, in Cullowhee, North Carolina, Rev. Fish was the son of the late William and Carolyn Stephens Fish. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Lavonia "Pinky" Andrews and nephew, Cory Fish.
Mr. Fish was a Vietnam veteran having served in the United States Marine Corps. He was associate pastor of Cleveland Cowboy Church in Cleveland, Tennessee. Mr. Fish served as a sheriff's deputy for Habersham County Sheriff's Office from 1991 to 2000 and from 2009 to 2012. Between his times of service with the sheriff's office, he served as a Habersham County commissioner for two years. While working with the sheriff's office, Rev. Fish was called into the mission field, taking short term mission trips to Kenya, Peru, Brazil, and Ireland. Dennis retired from the Habersham County Sheriff's Department and his wife, Rosilyn, retired from the Habersham County School System to serve as full time missionaries in Wyoming. Dennis and Rosilyn served in Casper, Wyoming at Oilfield Ministries through the Wyoming Southern Baptist Convention. During his mission work, Dennis became an ordained minister and pastored Bairoil Community Church in Bairoil, Wyoming.
Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years and 12 days, Rosilyn Fish, of Cleveland, Tennessee; sons, Thomas, Dennis, Jr. and Phillip; daughters-in-law, Connie and Maison; brothers and sisters-in-law, Bruce Fish and Dixie and Kenny Fish and Renee; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel, Demorest.