DENNIS ENDS CAREER WITH LITTLE FANFARE

JEFFERSON CITY - With little fanfare, the clock ran out on John Dennis' last legislative session Friday evening.

Like his previous 15 sessions, the final week had been a hectic one with long hours, extended debate and maneuvering - and much frustration. The last day of the 1992 session had been especially grueling.

Like everyone else, Dennis was tired and ready to see the session end. Around 6 p.m. relief came. Majority Leader Jet Banks moved the Senate adjourn and Lt. Gov. Mel Carnahan gaveled the session to a close.

The final legislative session for John Dennis had come to a close. There had been no special farewell tributes in the Senate that week for retiring members - those will be reserved for the veto session in September. A pile of pressing legislation was the only priority.

As the session closed, Sen. Mike Lybyer, who sits in front of Dennis on the Senate floor, extended a warm farewell handshake. Sen. Danny Staples was right behind him. Dennis grabbed his pile of books filled with legislation for the last time and headed to the side gallery.

As he approached the door, Willard May, a long-time Senate doorkeeper who earlier in the afternoon had stopped by Dennis' office to bid him farewell, rushed to grab the senator's books. He wanted to carry them the last time.

There were plenty of "thank you" handshakes as Dennis walked to his office. Dennis patiently thanked everyone for their words of praise, as he had done all session.

Dennis announced in July he would not seek a fifth term. He returned to the capital for his last session in January for what would become a session of thankyous, goodbyes, and endless reminiscences with friends.

Several organizations paid tribute to Dennis for his Senate service during the session. Last week, the Missouri State Highway Patrol made him an honorary trooper.

A handwritten note: "Pedro would be proud" was attached to the plaque; a reference to Pedro Simmons, who had been sheriff of Mississippi County when Dennis was sheriff of Scott County. Simmons died late last year.

On hand for the last day was Jeff Hopper, one of Dennis' grandsons, and Hopper's wife Mary. Their 3-year-old daughter Logan, freely roamed her great-grandfather's spacious office.

Throughout the last day Dennis' office was its usual flurry of activity, filled with colleagues, lobbyists, and friends.

Sitting on the side of the Senate chamber before the start of his last day, Dennis admitted leaving was hard. "I've got mixed emotions about it," said Dennis, whose retirement will bring to a close 40 years in public office.

As he headed to the floor for the afternoon session that would end his career, Dennis joked to everyone he saw: "I'm headin' for the last roundup."

Dennis, who earned a reputation during his Senate career as a man of his word, who got along well with people and excelled in bringing compromise, passed his last major bill on Thursday. Ironically, the measure was opposed by some of his closest friends in the Senate.

The bill was designed to give administrators, faculty and staff the option of being covered by a retirement plan other than the normal state plan known as MOSERS, so it could be transferred to other states. The measure was controversial.

Southeast Missouri State President Kala Stroup had called the problem to Dennis' attention and said it made recruiting faculty and administrators difficult. It was not the most important bill John Dennis had ever handled, but it was important to Southeast Missouri State. That made it important to Dennis.

Sen. John Scott of St. Louis, one of Dennis' closest friends, did his best to defeat the bill. So did another close friend, Senate President Jim Mathewson. The bill got 19 votes - one more than necessary for passage.

Afterwards, Scott said he doubted any other senator could have passed a bill with the staunch opposition of the president pro tem, majority leader and minority leader, except for John Dennis.

"Do you know how many votes that would have gotten without him? Two," declared Scott.

Although the session is over, Dennis will continue as a member of the Senate until early next year.