Gregory M. Dennis had a lot of qualities that made him stand out, but most of all it was how he cared for his family.
“I had a heart attack in the kitchen one day,” his mother, Mary Felder recalled. “Greg came in and all I said was, ‘I couldn’t breathe.’ He picked me up, put me in the car and he drove like a lunatic all the way to the hospital. I said, ‘Lord if I don’t die from this heart attack, he going to kill me with his driving!'”
The rush to the hospital that day showed that Gregory’s family was always his first priority. But even if things weren’t life or death, he’d be only one call away. “My daughter called him one time because my car wouldn’t start. Greg was the type to drop everything and just be on his way,” Mary said.
Tragically, his life would come to an end on April 22, 2024. Gregory was shot and killed on 5400 N 15th St near West Somerville Avenue in Logan. However, the police have identified the suspect in his shooting
Gregory was born in North Philadelphia and as years went on, Gregory gained smart and clever attributes. “When he was about 2 or 3, he would find the key to the door and a chair climb on to let himself out of the house and he walk down the street to go to my mom’s house because we lived on the same block,” Mary said.
Gregory was the youngest of two with an older brother and sister, Attice and Taurus. Just like standard sibling competition Gregory was mainly seen as the “golden child” since he got the most attention. “They call him the golden child because he was the youngest. They felt I catered to him mostly,” said Mary. “And yes, he did get everything he asked me for.”
Since he and his siblings had a great relationship, they would always play around together even if it meant messing up their house a few times. “His siblings would always do stuff with him. I came home to a rope tied on the stairway. He [Gregory] said, “I am going to blow him up mama, when Taurus come home, I’m gonna pull this rope and water is gonna fall on top of his head,” Mary recalled.
As a child Gregory was loved by all of his family members, they had funny moments and even went to reptile shows together. “We just had good times period,” said his godother Felisa Massey. “I lived on the same block when he was a kid, he and his cousins would get up early in the morning like old people and they knock on the door and look for me.” Truly, quality time with the family is important.
Gregory at his 8th grade prom at Wakisha High School
Gregory presented sweet and active energy especially when he was around members of his family and was a true example of joy. “He wasn’t in the streets, he just played all the time,” Felisa said. “I took him to Virginia Busch Garden, and I always took him to the zoo and the academy of nature and science. If you saw him, you saw me. He was happy all the time.”
Gregory also had a strong love for animals that presented itself at just the age of 2. This love blossomed when he went to visit his relatives at that age in South Carolina and during that year that he stayed, he came back with exotic animals on his mind. “When he came down at 3 and a half, he had a fascination with animals. He had a duck, chicken, cane Corso, iguana, dragon lizards, piranhas. He thought he could have all that stuff in the city,” Mary said.
Gregory was also active at school and gaining many friends by his likable personality. “He was very athletic. He played football, basketball and baseball. If you met him and he liked you, you would know because he claimed you.”
Growing from his sweet and funny nature as a kid, Gregory put that energy into being an amazing father to four daughters. Gregory was very active in their lives. They even picked up his active side doing sports like gymnastics and dance. He eventually helped coach his daughter’s basketball team for her school. Till this day, his effect weighs heavily on the team. “He was like a dad to them,” Felisa stated.
Gregory’s dreams were to follow in his father’s footsteps as a police officer, as well as his godmother, who was a deputy sheriff. However, as he got older and after graduating from Bauk College, he started to pursue that dream.
“He wanted to be a cop like his dad,” Mary said. “Things didn’t work out even though he passed the test. The problem was during a background check somebody told him there’s no way you haven’t smoke marijuana in Philly. And he’s never done that. I don’t even drink.”
Many black men are victims of a stereotype, however Gregory proved time and time again that he was a leader not a follower. “He was raised in north Philly, but he wasn’t a product of his environment,” Felisa said. He was exposed to other things rather than things that went on in the street. Even though he had friends from the streets that wasn’t him.”
Although his dream of being a police officer didn’t work out, he stayed in that career lane as a faithful protector and prevailed as a security officer at schools as well as working at multiple security companies.
Still, he always had time to joke around with his family there was no bigger priority. “I would call Greg when he had work at around 6:30 in the morning. So, I’d call him, and he’d say, ‘Mom give me 30 more minutes.’ I’d say, ‘Greg what do you mean 30 more minutes you got to wake up.” Mary recalled laughing. “And every time I called him that’s what he’d answer the phone saying.”
“I would say being around family made him happy. All my sister’s think Greg is their son, and his cousins acted like his brothers. He kept in touch with everybody no matter where they were, even people I don’t speak to. Those daughters of his and his wife of course because he loved her. He was a happy person; you’ve never seen him mad,” Mary said.
The news of his death made waves throughout his entire family. “What hurt me the most is when it first happened, the police thought it was gang related. He was a police officer’s son, and they never stated that. He was pronounced dead at Presbyterian hospital but to me he was already dead when he got there,” Felissa said.
