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Dennis Dimsey Obituary
DENNIS J. DIMSEY
March 10, 1943 - November 14, 2022
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dennis J. Dimsey; beloved husband of Mary Juliet Dimsey; loyal father of Michael Edward Dimsey and Laura Dimsey Lewis; devoted older brother to Sharon Perrin, Robert Dimsey, Christine Craft, and the late Barbara Davis.
Dennis was a proud graduate of St. John's College High School, the University of Pennsylvania, and received his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the University of Maryland.
Dennis proudly served his country in the Vietnam War, achieving the rank of Captain, and was awarded several medals of commendation including the prestigious Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Achievement in September 1970.
Dennis was a distinguished attorney at the US Department of Justice for over 40 years, a calling he greatly enjoyed. He earned many accolades during his tenure and was greatly loved and admired by his co-workers.
In his later years Dennis enjoyed pursuing his passion of golf, playing almost every day. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife and children, watching golf and football on television, and working on home improvement projects. He was very proud of being in the top 1% of savers at CVS.
A celebration of the life of Dennis will take place at a later date. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery. Services are private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Dennis Dimsey's honor to The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation National Headquarters, ATTN: Financial Operations, 733 Third Avenue, Ste. 510, New York, NY 10017.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Dennis Dimsey
3 Entries
Phyllis Darby
December 9, 2022
My sincere condolences and prayer to the family and friends to Dennis Dimsey. It was an honor working for Mr. Dimsey at the US Department of Justice, Appellate Section for 24 years as his secretary. From Phyllis Darby
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Jim Schermerhorn
November 19, 2022
Denny, my friend, we go back a long way. We met in the office of Assistant Attorney General Jerris Leonard on January 6, 1971, the day we both joined the Justice Department´s Civil Rights Division. After more than 50 years, and so many happy memories, it´s so very, very hard to say goodbye.
Your sincerity and openness was clear from the start. And in the years since, you never lost that straightforward manner. Nor did you lose the kindness and unselfishness you so richly shared with all you met.
What an exciting time it was to work in civil rights! We were very fortunate to be assigned to the Criminal Section. Returning from Vietnam, determined to put our life in order, it was a very good place for young lawyers. And your work was always so clear-headed and well-reasoned, just what we would expect from a math major. No one showed more respect for the rule of law and dogged-determination to gather all the facts.
Still, it was a strange time. We were asked to monitor - ostensibly to protect their civil rights - hundreds of thousands as they marched against the war and we struggled to understand events like the "Saturday Night Massacre". But the Constitution and federal civil rights statutes were always safe in your hands, Denny.
But it was all not hard work. I lived in Monica and Dave´s basement on G St., SW, and you lived right down the street. We both found intelligent and wonderful women, room-mates actually and our future wives, living in that big, old house on Observatory Circle. With our friends, we hiked the various trails along Skyline Drive, ate Chesapeake Bay blue crabs at your favorite hole-in-the-wall in Bethesda, and did our best to enjoy the early 70s.
Later, after you joined the Appellate Section and we both moved to main Justice, our offices were just down the 5th floor hall from each other. You enjoyed a well-deserved, excellent reputation among your colleagues, first as a fellow lawyer and, later, as a Deputy Section Chief. Your 40-year plus contribution to civil rights jurisprudence, and your many years of work in federal appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, was monumental.
I still found time, however, to stick my head in your office and check on all things football. You were the universally acknowledged expert on that topic and a loyal fan as well. With your season tickets, you generated a tad bit of envy, despite generously sharing those tickets with me and others.
When the Civil Rights Division sought to appoint an ethics officer, you were such an obvious choice. Your integrity, moral conviction and good judgment were clear for all to see ... a no-brainer as they say.
When we both bought homes in Montgomery County, we still remained close. You, Mary and the kids lived off Great Arbor and we were a stone´s throw away on Fall River Lane. You and Mary were Kathy´s baptismal sponsors and there at her First Communion as well. As I recall, you helped me move a couple of times, and always had my back.
As the years went by, we still managed to get together; whether it was at your house with your family, at Clyde´s in Bethesda or at some place in Georgetown. We met for last time, right before Covid made seeing old friends difficult, at that nice place near John and Susan´s.
Denny, I couldn´t have asked for a better colleague or a more faithful friend. And that´s why it´s so difficult to say good-bye. But God bless you, my friend, and your wonderful family. Our thoughts, condolences and prayers are with them now and always.
Jim Schermerhorn
Mary Therese Lewis
November 19, 2022
So many people have mentioned Denny´s great sense of humor but even more telling was his listening to people no matter what they were saying and making them feel like what they had to say was the most important thing in the world. I love you all
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