Patrick Walter Dennis

1948 - 2021

August 8, 1948 - April 1, 2021

Patrick Walter Dennis, a beloved husband, son, father, brother, uncle, friend and father-in-law, left this earth too early on April 1, 2021.

Pat is survived by his loving wife and life partner Rosa Dennis (nee Gomez), his mother Kathryn Marie Dennis (nee Patterson), his sons Patrick (Tito) and Michael, and siblings Judy, Joe, Maureen, Carol, Marilyn, as well as too many cousins, nephews, nieces, and extended family to name here. He is predeceased by his father Wayne Joseph Dennis.

Pat was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, on August 8, 1948 and was raised in Tilford before moving with his family back to Rapid City. He graduated from Rapid City High School before joining the U.S. Navy at the age of 17.

Pat was the consummate explorer who loved travel and the outdoors. Growing up, he spent his childhood exploring the Black Hills with his younger brother Joe and spent summers tending to the Dennis family ranch in Red Owl. His adventurous spirit led him in part to join the Navy in which he served during the Vietnam War.

Pat served his country while also traveling the world – seeing and experiencing things he could only imagine as a young kid from South Dakota. His time in the Navy was a source of great pride, a few tattoos, and an endless number of stories that he eagerly shared throughout his life.

After his service in the Navy, Pat settled in Southern California and began a career in the oil and gas industry that would span over 30 years where he worked his way up from being a Roustabout to a manager in the pipeline division.

Yet, the biggest adventure of his life began when he met and married his best friend and the love of his life, Rosa Gomez at the age of 23. Pat and Rosa settled in Hacienda Heights, California, where they raised sons Patrick ""Tito"" and Michael, and created countless memories with the large extended Gomez family and dozens of friends.

Pat was the life of the party and leader of the pack. He will always be remembered by family and friends as someone who loved big, lived big, and was unapologetically himself. He was a best friend and father to not only his two sons, but family members and nephews and nieces that he treated as his own. Together with his family, Pat helped create precious memories of family trips to Snowbird, camping at lake San Antonio, big family BBQs, trips to the desert, dancing to the Ozark Mountain Daredevil's ""Chicken Train,"" and an infinite number of good memories that will live on forever.

When his youngest son Mike was growing up, Pat volunteered as the Scout Master for Boy Scout Troop 684 for over 6 years. He helped instill a love and respect for the outdoors but more importantly was a role model for a lot of young kids when they needed one the most. Pat was all the things anyone could ever wish to be – brave, loyal, smart, honorable, kind, and decent. He was always the one you could count on and always had a plan.

In their late 50s, a lifetime of hard work allowed Pat and Rosa to retire early. Wasting no time, they treated traveling the world as a full-time job, visiting Europe, South America, Hawaii, and the Caribbean with their best friends and family Coco and Mundo. In between, Pat still made plenty of time to go back to South Dakota, take weekend trips to the desert with Fabian and Wesley and of course visit his favorite place Lake Havasu.

Pat's customary seat at the head of the table is empty now. He is and will continue to be someone so deeply loved, valued, and missed in such a profound way that words cannot describe. But his loved ones know he is dancing the Chicken Train in Heaven and waiting for the rest of us to join.

A mass will be held at Saint John Vianney Catholic Church 1345 Turnbull Canyon Rd. Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 on June 15th, 2021 at 2PM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Pat's memory to Disabled American Veterans or the Gary Sinise Foundation - charities Pat held dear throughout his life.