A great story about an even greater man!

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advantages, Wynn says. “I have
always enjoyed interacting with the
customers and meeting people,” he
jokes. “I even met my wife at Publix.”
After 28 years of marriage,
Sara laughs when she thinks back to
their first years, and says the phrase
“cattle operation” really overstates
their modest beginnings.
“Dennis has had cattle since
he was in high school,” recalls
Sara. “When we started dating,
he had about 20 acres and 10
cows. It’s (the cattle industry) in
his blood. Whether it’s 10 cows or 110, he’s
BY NATALIE CARTER going to be out there tending to them and
fussing over each one like his kids.”
W
hoever said cowboys don’t cry, Raising two boys, J.B. and Stewart, and
has never heard this story. actively involved in the community, Dennis
and Sara’s life together reads much like a
On a small ranch in central Florida handbook to the happy, all-American family.
amidst the palm tree hammocks and citrus Over the years, Dennis served as president
groves, grew up a young man well versed in of the football booster club, was recognized
the cattle and beef industries. Meet Dennis as Honorary FFA Alumni, served on the
Wynn: NCBA member, son of a butcher, board of directors for the Polk County
grandson of a rancher. Cattlemen’s Association, and taught Junior
Chasing after his grandfather to help Achievement classes at the local middle
work cows and mend fence, Dennis learned school.
the tasks of a cattleman at a young age. His 31-year career at Publix took him
But one could not overlook the influence of from meat cutter to meat manager, and
his father, a 47-year retail veteran who allowed him the opportunity to mentor
worked his way up from clean-up boy to many young apprentices. Commenting on
meat supervisor. In the days of sawdust behalf of her modest husband, Sara says
floors and swinging beef, Laverne Wynn Dennis’ staff always admired him and
learned his way around the back room of a appreciated his patience.
meat department, while Dennis still It was during this time, I had the
preferred the “back 40” of the pastures. chance to personally meet Dennis. Working
As it turns out, Dennis would carry on on a new industry, retail labeling program, I
the family traditions of both his father and met him at the meat case — his home away
grandfather. He started right out of high from home.
school as a meat cutter with Lakeland, Fla.- Being the outgoing personality that he
based Publix Super Markets, and all of his is and a proud checkoff-supporter, Dennis
time away from the store was spent with his welcomed the chance to visit with me each
cows. You could say he was a “gate to plate” time I visited his store. If only he knew, the
man. pleasure was all mine. After a long day on a
Despite the cold, wet rooms and plane and in a car, it was always nice to
obvious dangers of the meat department, encounter a friendly face that shared the
working at Publix definitely had its common interests of cattle and (beef) cuts.
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 52 SPRING 2005

2. Spring 2005.qxd 3/14/2005 11:46 AM Page 54
“
Over the years, I got to know the Wynns the prayers.
quite well. They’re such great people, full of They returned home to Lakeland with
Dennis was energy and love for one another. Dennis paralyzed on his left side and the
diagnosed with Back in early 2002, I remember when local hospice making regular visits. I joined
their dog Daisy died. Followed by Sara’s his friends and family back in 2003 as we
brain-stem cat, Tuna, who was caught in a lightning celebrated his 46th birthday. He was
gleoma. He storm in a hollowed-out tree in the back
yard. Like most, I thought it was definitely a
confined to a wheelchair at the time but his
spirit certainly circulated the room.
and Sara lived stroke of bad luck, but had no idea what Now going strong more than a year
in Gainesville, was to follow.
Later that year, Sara’s dad would die of
longer than the doctors said he would live,
Sara says there has never been a day when
Fla., for three a brain tumor. In November, Dennis himself Dennis has felt sorry for himself or said,
would be diagnosed with a similar condition. “Why me?”
months while In February 2003, Sara’s grandmother “The only tears he shed were when his
he underwent passed away, and in 2004, Dennis’ dad died doctor said he couldn’t ride his horse,” says
from colon cancer. It was a saga of tragedy Sara. Although she admits secretly, he did
28 radiation that did not seem to stop, like a television recently get that chance once again.
treatments with a broken knob stuck on a bad channel.
Dennis was diagnosed with brain-stem
In May 2004, their oldest son J.B.
married Leigh Ann Lightsey. Dennis said
followed with gleoma. He and Sara lived in Gainesville, he would not go unless he was out of his
Fla., for three months while he underwent wheelchair and could walk down the aisle
two rounds of 28 radiation treatments followed with two himself.
“
chemotherapy rounds of chemotherapy pills. “It was their day,” says Dennis. “I did
I will never forget the overwhelming want to distract from the attention.”
pills. feeling of sadness that so many of us in the Well, try as they might, one couldn’t
industry shared with their family, but help but notice the strong-willed, proud
undoubtedly nothing compared to their own father as he walked down the aisle that day.
pain. Still, Dennis and Sara kept us all And later, too, as he joined his wife out on
updated via e-mail and we all kept up with the dance floor.
Today, Dennis’ condition has stabilized,
and his most recent MRI shows no change
It was a trip of a lifetime for in the tumor. Dennis laughs when he tells
Dennis and Sara Wynn. about his hospice experience.
“I am the first person to ever flunk out
of hospice,” he jokes. “And I thank the Lord
to have failed that class.”
At a time when his health was
uncertain, Sara asked if there was anything
he had ever always wanted to do. Once
again, never thinking of himself, Dennis
replied that he had never granted her wish
of visiting San Antonio.
However, Sara knew that over the past
20 years as a member of the Florida
Cattlemen’s Association, Dennis had always
wanted to attend the industry’s national
convention.
Once again, fate and good will shone
upon them as both their dreams became one.
This past February, with an assist from
NCBA, Dennis and Sara attended the
Annual Cattle Industry Convention and no
doubt about it, they will always “Remember
the Alamo.” NC
Natalie Carter is a member of NCBA’s Retail
Marketing team.
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 54 SPRING 2005