Sonia “Toni” Garrett Denning

Sonia “Toni” Garrett Denning was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and a woman whose warmth, humor, generosity, and zest for life touched everyone fortunate enough to know her.

Toni’s life was filled with adventure, love, service, family, and plenty of laughter. She attended the College of Nursing in Milledgeville, Georgia, beginning a career in nursing that would take many forms throughout her life. Toni wore many hats professionally and personally. She worked as a nurse, an operating room nurse, and an office nurse—where, as one of her memorable stories goes, chickens were sometimes traded for her services. She also served as an executive secretary and later became a corporate executive involved in real estate. But perhaps her most enduring role was that of football coach’s wife. Toni lovingly supported her husband, Donald, throughout his long career in college football, following him and their family to numerous states and universities. She embraced every new community, opportunity, and adventure along the way. She was a familiar and treasured part of the social world surrounding college football and was known for making friends wherever life took her.

Toni and Donald’s love story began when they started dating in the eighth grade. Their relationship grew through the years, and they were married for more than 67 years, following eight years of dating. More than 75 years together is a testament to a love that was deep, enduring, and cherished. Toni adored Donald, and she stood proudly beside him through every chapter of his career and their life together.

Toni was adventurous from the very beginning. As a young girl, she and her brother, John, were known for their many antics. She trick-rode her horse, built a cement boat, and somehow always seemed to find her way into another unforgettable adventure. In high school, she was voted “Friendliest,” a fitting recognition of the kindness and welcoming spirit that remained part of her character throughout her life.

As an adult, Toni never lost her sense of fun or her willingness to try something new. She once built an igloo with her daughter in the mountains of North Carolina. She learned Japanese so that she could travel to Japan with Donald for a football game with Clemson. She embraced opportunities for women in beauty pageants and became part of the social life that surrounded college football. She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and the University of Memphis Touchdown Club.

Family was at the heart of Toni’s life. She especially treasured time at the beach with her family and her lifelong best friend, Pam. In her later years, after retiring to Atlanta, Georgia, she found great joy in helping care for her granddaughter, Holly. Her family was her greatest source of happiness, and she was happiest when surrounded by the people she loved.

Toni was also deeply involved in community projects and activities alongside her family. She had a gift for making people feel welcome and cared for. Her kindness was genuine, her generosity came naturally, and her laughter could brighten a room. She brought joy, humor, love, and an unmistakable spirit of fun to the lives of her family and friends.

Those who knew Toni will remember not only the roles she filled, but the person she was: kind, loving, giving, spirited, adventurous, and full of laughter. She collected stories throughout her life and, more importantly, created stories that her family and friends will continue to tell for generations.

Toni was preceded in death by her father, Veteran and Sheriff John B. Garrett; her mother, Hazel Parker Garrett; her brother, John M. Garrett; and her beloved sheepdogs, Bert and Ernie. She leaves behind her devoted husband and lifelong love, Donald Lewis Denning; her daughter, Lori Denning Faris; her granddaughter, Holly Lauren Faris; sister-in-law, Marjorie Adams; sisters Kay Thompson (Roy), Robin Reahard (Chip), Debbie Johnson, and Tammy Waits (Brent); numerous nieces and nephews, extended family members, and dear friends; and her lifelong best friend, Pam Chapman.

Her life was a beautiful collection of love, adventure, family, friendship, service, and laughter. Her legacy lives on in the people she loved, the lives she touched, and the countless stories that will keep her memory alive.

Toni's final act of generosity was the donation of her body to the Medical College of Georgia for the advancement of medical research in August.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you celebrate Toni’s life in the way she would have wanted: share her stories, laugh often, love generously, and find joy in the people around you.

She will be deeply missed and forever loved.