Charles J. "Charlie" Dendis

WATERLOO- Charles Dendis, 78, passed away on Wednesday (April 13, 2011) at Geneva General Hospital.
Friends and family are invited to call from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday (April 16) at Mull Funeral Home, 113 Virginia St., Waterloo. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday (April 18) at Saint Mary's Church, Waterloo. Burial will follow in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Waterloo.
Charlie's family requests memorial contributions be directed to Saint Mary's Church, 35 Center St., Waterloo, 13165.
Charlie was born on February 20, 1933 in Franklin, N.J., the son of the late Charles S. and Sophie T. Knapik - Dendis, Sr. The family moved to Interlaken in November 1946, where they purchased a farm. Charlie worked on the farm and attended and graduated Interlaken Central school.
He loved sports and played and excelled in basketball, baseball and football. After graduation, he entered the United States Army and trained in Fort Monmouth, N.J. He was stationed in Germany from 1953 to 1955 and was assigned to The Signal Core.
He returned to the Ithaca area where he attended Cornell University full time while working full time at Morse-Chain. It was at Cornell where he met his wife, Teresa DiPrimio and they married in 1957.
After graduating in 1959 from The School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, he farmed in Interlaken before moving to Waterloo with his family. Charlie taught Agriculture, Industrial Arts and Drivers Education at Waterloo High School while completing his Masters degree. He also taught at BOCES in Auburn.
In the early 70's, Charlie realized his dream of buying and running his own dairy farm. The dairy farming gradually evolved into crop farming until he retired from full-time farming.
After retiring from teaching, Charlie continued to pursue farm interests with his children.
He was a loving and cherished husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was admired for his work ethic, his passion for teaching, farming, fishing, polka dancing and later in life his pups, Bella and Gia.
Charlie is survived by his loving and dedicated wife of 53 years, Teresa N. DiPrimio - Dendis of Waterloo; his children, grandchildren and great-grandson including: his son, John C. Dendis and his children: William P., Daniel C. and Paul J. Dendis; his daughter, Sue (Alan) Johnson and her children: Matt and Jenn Sheppard; his daughter, Patty (Steve) Trout and their children: Don (Michelle Geraghty) Trout and their son, Zion, Joshua Charles and Teresa Trout; his son, Joseph A. (Helen) Dendis their children: Anthony, Michael and Patrick Dendis; and his son, Christopher (Lorree) Dendis their child, Alex Dendis; his sister, Millie (Gerard) Messmer of Interlaken; his brothers: Paul (Sandi) Dendis of Syracuse and Joseph (Maryann) Dendis of Interlaken; as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.