Dennis Patrick McSweeney

Dennis Patrick McSweeney

February 8, 1958 - April 11, 2021

Dennis Patrick McSweeney passed away on April 11, 2021. Dennis was born in Fort Benton, Montana on February 8, 1958 to Steve and Edna McSweeney. Dennis was always popular. In high school, he was the student body president, a state competitor in singing, and a swim team champion. He was comfortable in a big city, but he remained a small-town boy at heart. Dennis wore his Fort Benton high school ring until the day he died, the longhorn worn down from years of his wild hand gestures.

Dennis attended college at Montana State University, joining Sigma Chi Fraternity his freshman year. During college, his fraternity brothers and friends were frequent victims of his prankster personality. If he ever woke you up with a "Rambo Gweenie" or a "Flying Wallenda," you have our condolences. He never met a dog who didn't love him. His sister Deb got used to Dennis showing up at "hunting camp" (her house) every November with an unknown number of friends and an even larger number of dogs.

Dennis met his wife Reva when they were both 33. Dennis asked Reva to marry him six months later. He then he promptly retracted his proposal, and Reva rightfully stopped talking to him. Luckily, Dennis realized his mistake, and they eloped shortly thereafter. In true Dennis fashion, he was half an hour late to his own wedding. Their son Sean (28) came along a year later and Connor (26) a year and a half after that. The boys grew up sharing their father with their friends. Dennis was always a caretaker, sheltering lost chicks under his broad shoulders.

A modern troubadour, Dennis travelled across Montana with his beautiful voice, singing at and DJ-ing weddings. His kids were his unpaid road crew, whether they wanted to be or not. Although he called it a "hobby," it was one that touched thousands of lives. Everyone who knew Dennis loved him. And if you didn't know him, somebody in your life did.

Dennis enjoyed red wine and scotch, in no particular order and of no particular quality. If the small-town bar he was currently visiting did not have wine, he would retrieve a box from his vehicle and pay the bartender to serve him his own. He inherited a love of cooking from his mother. And other than the deep-fried turkey incident a few Thanksgivings ago, which resulted in third-degree burns to his foot, he was generally good at it.

A longtime member of the Algeria Shriners, Dennis was passionate about their cause. As a volunteer for the Montana East-West Shrine game, he spent countless weeks driving across the state to identify deserving student athletes to participate in the game. In a bid for sainthood, he also refed and coached youth sports. There are not many people who knew Montana's small towns like Dennis did, and his loss is mourned across the state.

As the McSweeney clan bard, Dennis always had a story to tell – most with questionable lessons. The listener was often left wondering whether it was meant to be a heroic account or a cautionary tale. It was usually both. Dennis was a whitewater wayfarer, a Bobcat tailgate surfer, and a mediocre fisher. While he could dress up if he had to, his favorite lounging pants had unicorns on them, and he wasn't afraid to wear them in public. Dennis had a zest for life and a golden heart. He was generous, frequently giving more than he could afford. But he won in the end; misers don't get obituaries this long.

Dennis is survived by his wife Reva, sons Sean and Conner, sisters Donna and Deb, and brother Dean. A celebration of life will be held for Dennis on Thursday, June 24, 2021 from 2:30-5:30 at the Choteau County Fairgrounds in Fort Benton, Montana. The burial will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 at Riverside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane: 911 West 5th Ave. Spokane, WA 99204.