Bishop Gomalia Dennis

Daisy Gomalia Devlin Dennis was born September 9, 1932, to the late Willie Devlin and Lorene Moore in Anderson, South Carolina.  She gained her wings on January 25, 2022, at her home in Anderson, SC with her daughter by her side.  When Gomalia was six years old, her mother passed away. Her aunt, Isabella Hawthorne, raised her and her sister.

As a child, she was a member of St. Paul Baptist Church. Gomalia attended Westside High School where she was a part of the first graduating class. She married Leo Dennis on November 8, 1952. They were married for 51 years. The Lord blessed them with one daughter, Darlena Dennis. Gomalia accepted the Lord as her Savior at St. John Pentecostal Holiness Church where her pastor was the late Elder J. E. Nance. Three months after being saved, she was called into the ministry. She and her husband would  later establish a church called Mt. Olive Universal Pentecostal Holiness Church in Townville, SC. The Lord added to the church, but after 25 years the Lord gave Pastor Gomalia Dennis a vision of a new church in Anderson, SC called the Crusade Center.  

The opening day of this church was July 1989. In 2004, Pastor Gomalia Dennis established her third church, Mt. Olive Pentecostal Ministries, Inc. in Belton, SC. She was ordained as Bishop in 2005. She served as pastor for 66 years before she officially retired in 2021.

She leaves to mourn her passing: daughter, Darlena P. Dennis of the home; one stepson, Leon Colbert of Anderson, SC; god-daughter, Sheila Randolph Cheeks (Maurice) of Memphis, TN; one son-in-law, Darrin Sherman of Anderson, SC; one granddaughter, Kawonna Steptoe of Anderson, SC; two grandchildren, Alleyne Steptoe and Damauri Medrino of Anderson, SC; two nephews, John Thomas Lee of Anderson, SC, and Calvin Arnold of Fayetteville, NC; two great nieces, Toshia Shackleford (Winfred) of Belton, SC, and Crystal Lee of Anderson, SC; three great nephews, Corey Arnold and Lamont Arnold of Fayetteville, NC, and Maurice Lee of Anderson, SC; granddaughter/great-great niece, Haleigh Shackleford Newmuis (Demetrius) of Anderson, SC; great-great nieces and nephews, Nigel Arnold and Nataija Arnold of Fayetteville, NC; Angel Arnold of Anderson, SC; Jaylen Arnold and Cameron Arnold of Greensboro, NC; special mention, Eddie Estrich, Jr., and a host of other relatives.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leo Dennis, father, mother and sister (Mary Elizabeth Lee); she was also preceded in death by two nephews, Robert “Bug” Lee and Willie Earl Jones; and one niece, Katherine Elizabeth Arnold.  

Public viewing will be held on Saturday, January 29, 2022 from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  

The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 30, 2022 at the Anderson Sports & Entertainment Center (Anderson Civic Center).  The interment will follow at Anderson Memorial Gardens.

The family is at the home.

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