Dennis, Walter Decoster, 1932-2003.

The Rt. Rev. Walter Decoster Dennis was born in Washington, DC on August 23, 1932 to Walter Decoster and Helen Louise Dennis. He earned degrees from Virginia State College (BA 1952), New York University School of Law (MA 1953) and General Theological Seminary (MDIV 1956). He was ordained a deacon on June 15, 1956 by the Rt. Rev. George Purnell Gunn, Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Virginia, at Grace Church Newark. On June 24, 1958 Dennis was ordained into the priesthood by the Rt. Rev. Horace Donegan, Bishop of the Diocese of New York, acting on behalf of the Bishop of Southern Virginia.

On February 8, 1968, Dennis was one of seventeen black priests who met at St. Philip's Church, New York, and founded the Union of Black Clergy and Laity (UBCL). The purpose was to remove racism from the Church and society, to stimulate the growth of black membership in the Episcopal Church, and to provide a specifically African-American voice in the Episcopal Church. The name of the organization has since changed to the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE), but the agenda remains the same. Additionally, Dennis served on the Board for the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity (ESCRU), and was elected Co-Chair of the National Recruitment, Training and Deployment Committee.

On October 6, 1979, Dennis was elected Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of New York and became the second African American bishop in the history of that diocese.

In 1995, Bishop Dennis was elected vice-president of Province II (the Episcopal Dioceses of New York, New Jersey, Newark, Western New York, Central New York, Albany, Rochester, Haiti, the Virgin Islands, and the Convocation of American Churches in Europe). In 1997, Dennis was appointed to serve on the board of the national Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Structure.

In 1998, Dennis retired as Suffragan Bishop of New York and relocated to Hampton, Virginia.

Walter Decoster Dennis passed away on March 30, 2003, at the age of 70, after a long illness.

From the description of Walter Decoster Dennis Diocese of New York Papers, 1951-1998. (Virginia Theological Seminary). WorldCat record id: 475551089