Dandee Denson died on Saturday, Jan. 16 at age 38. Weekend services in honor of his life brought many visitors who wanted to pay their respects, including dozens of Shriners.

     Denson, who was born with Downs Syndrome, was well known in Shrine circles.

Among other things, he was the group’s ace salesman.

     “Dandee could sell anything to anybody,” said his father Wayne “Pete” Denson, a longtime Shriner. “He raised a lot of money for us.”

     Denson told a story about how one weekend after Thanksgiving a half-dozen or so Shriners were selling pecan log rolls outside the old Walmart. One older man refused to buy anything and was gruff about it.

“Dandee gave me the look that he was going to try to make the sale,” his father said.

He went up to the man, held out a pecan log and said quietly “$2.”

“I don’t want any candy,” the man replied.

Dandee did not hesitate; instead he raised his voice slightly.

“$2!”

The customer relented and forked over the money.

“Dandee could sell a snowball to an Eskimo,” his father said laughing. The annual Shrine Circus is held in Marietta. Dandee would go down every year for several days with his father. But Past Potentate J.J. Moore would usually come by and “borrow” Dandee and put him to work selling giveaways or raffle tickets, whatever needed selling.

     “Nobody could tell him no,” his father said.

Pete Denson speaks lovingly about his son, who is best known in Chattooga County for his involvement in the long running Shriners Telethon held in the old Tooga Theater building on Commerce Street.

“Dandee never missed a telethon until this year, when he was too sick to go,” said his father.”

The annual event was a big deal to the younger Denson, who loved to hang around the auditorium as much as possible.

His efforts on behalf of the Shriners did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Dandee was an honorary member of the Chattooga Shrine Club; an honorary member of the Yaarab Shrine Temple in Atlanta; a distinguished recipient of the Green Fez of Shrine of North America and a personal aide to the Potentate.

According to his father, at the time Dandee received the Green Fez he was one of only four in the United States to have it.

The Denson family was surprised in 2002 when the Shrine Auditorium was named for Dandee.

It meant a lot to his son, Pete said.

“Something else that meant a lot to the family was the many Shriners in attendance at the services. Dozens of Shriners from around the state, including six Past Potentates, were in attendance.

“That may not mean anything to some people, but it means a lot to me and to my family,”  Pete added.