Charles Dennis Wile

Charles "Dennis" Wile was the beloved son of Dennis Evan Wile of Boston, Massachusetts, and Grace Mae Fortner of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Dennis grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, where he attended St. Paul’s School for Boys, excelling in both writing and football. He studied at Vanderbilt University, pursuing engineering before discovering his love of and aptitude for learning languages. He was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, where he met lifelong friends. He met Katherine “Kitty” Russell at VU, with whom he had two children. He graduated with a degree in French, earning a place in the French Ph.D. program. He lived and taught school in Marseille, France, as part of the VU program, where he also studied photography at Université de Luminy.

 After returning to Nashville, Dennis left academia and pursued photography. For more than fifty years, Dennis photographed in the U.S. and abroad, producing powerful portraits, evocative street scenes, corporate work, and intimate still lifes. He was known for his extraordinary work with light and shadow and had makeshift darkrooms wherever he lived in his early career. His work appeared in media including Vogue, The New York Times, GQ, National Geographic Traveler, and Ken Burns’ Country Music. His photographs are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Vanderbilt University, the Tennessee State Museum, the United States Senate, and many corporate collections. His clients included generations of notable Tennesseans, famous musicians, and patrons in New York, Texas, and other states. His work is online at denniswile.com and instagram.com/denniswilephoto/.

 Dennis led a richly creative and generous life shaped by deep intellect, artistic passion, and a benevolent heart. He was a mentor to many, freely sharing his knowledge of photography. He treated anyone who worked with him as family and gave generously, offering his home, time, and resources to friends and strangers alike. He cared for his younger brother, who suffers from debilitating mental illness, and organized an exhibition of his father’s WWII combat photography at Emory University. 

Curious, humble, engaging, Dennis loved language, poetry, art, music, fine food, good wine, and meaningful conversation. He was known for his irreverent sense of humor, creative nicknames, and made-up phrases. Despite limited mobility and pain, he planned to fly to his daughter’s wedding and passed just days before it.

 Dennis is survived by his children, Geoffrey Wile (Laura Wile) and Jennifer Wile (John Nikolai); his grandchildren, Katie and Charlie; his brother, Geoff Wile; and two honorary nephews, Justin and Joseph Prophet. 

His family will host a celebration of life in Nashville in October 2025, thoughtfully planning a gathering that reflects the way Dennis celebrated those around him. To attend, please email denniswilecelebration@gmail.com. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at nami.org, as helping those in need was natural for Dennis.