DENNIS REZENDES

1929 - 2015

REZENDES, DENNIS Dennis Rezendes, the first American Hospice Administrator died at his home in Boulder, CO on June 16, 2015 at the age of 85. In 1974 he joined a small New Haven, CT based group of doctors and nurses that were instrumental in the creation of the first program of hospice care in the United States along with the construction of the first American hospice facility located in Branford, CT. Rezendes was the founder of the National Hospice Organization (the predecessor to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization). He served as its first Executive Director. Rezendes gave important leadership to the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid legislation and private insurance payment for hospice care as well as the enactment of critical and innovative health legislation in Connecticut related to hospice care that was replicated in many other states. For his pioneering efforts in the hospice movement Rezendes received recognition from Presidents Carter and Reagan, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, Senators Edward “Ted” Kennedy and Robert Dole as well as many others. Rezendes last efforts in the hospice movement was the co-creation of Community Hospice Care in Anaheim Hills, CA which grew to become the second largest program of hospice care in America. He retired from the position of Vice-President from that organization in 1994. Rezendes was born in Fall River, MA to second-generation Portuguese-Azorean parents. During his early formative years Rezendes lived in a Portuguese - Azorean enclave absorbing the uniqueness of his Portuguese ancestry prior to moving with his family to live in other diverse ethnic neighborhoods. These early multi-cultural experiences impacted his personal life valuesand broadened his understanding of America and the world. Upon graduating from high school he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Rezendes was trained for the position of Grand Control Approach (GCA) operator and served in that capacity for 6 years. In his role as GCA operator he was involved in the U.S. side of the Berlin Airlift, successfully guiding aircraft to land in extreme adverse weather conditions thereby enabling them to expeditiously reload with critical supplies and return on their flight to Berlin. Upon receiving an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force in 1954 with the highest rank of T/Sgt, Rezendes matriculated to the University of Maine in Orono, Maine where he graduated in 1957 with honors and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Management. In 1959 he received a Master of Government Administration degree (MGA) from the Wharton school of Business and Finance and the Fels Institute of Local and State government at the University of Pennsylvania. Rezendes was a senior member of the Richard C. Lee Administration in New Haven, CT from 1960 to 1970. For 9 of those years he was the Director of Administration and Budget Officer. While holding those 2 positions he was also the Acting Welfare Director and on another occasion he became the Acting Parks and Recreation Director. During those years he was actively engaged in rejuvenating an old moribund New England city by initiating innovative programs concerned with the physical and social improvement of the city and its residents. He also served as a volunteer advisor to Governor Ella Grasso, the first woman to be elected governor “in her own right.” Rezendes joined the Rouse Company in 1960 and became the Senior Vice President of its wholly owned subsidiary, The American City Corporation in the new town of Columbia, Maryland. He also became President of The Greater Hartford Process. His professional career has included working as a business owner, lobbyist, stockbroker, political activist and professor. Rezendes has received many awards of recognition, including the Stillwater Presidential Award in 2012 from the University of Maine, which honors those who are extraordinarily engaged in furthering the mission of the University through leadership, loyalty and dedicated service. In 2014 he received the Bernard Lown ‘42 Humanitarian Award, which recognizes dedication to the creation of a benevolent, peaceful society and the perpetuation of a caring and nurturing civilization. It recognizes outstanding service and impact on the regional, national or global level. Most recently in May of 2015, Rezendes was presented with a Doctorate of Humane Letters Honorary Degree from the University of Maine “to recognize his exceptional contributions to society, scholarship and the arts.” Throughout his life, Rezendes has endeavored to make the world a better place through work, education, philanthropy and volunteering including traveling with his wife Beau to Africa, China and Portugal to teach conversational English. Rezendes is survived by his wife of 34 years Jacqueline Beau Rezendes, his daughter Cheryl Rezendes Rulewich and her husband Alan of Bernardston, MA, his son Michael Rezendes of Boston, MA, his two stepsons Shane Bohart and his wife Heather of Boulder, Co and Seth Bohart and his wife Nicole of Hong Kong, his six grandchildren August Rulewich, Brook Rulewich, Grace Bohart, Ethan Bohart, Eligh Bohart and Jax Bohart as well as his first wife Constance LaPointe of Deerfield, MA.” Please visit www.CristMortuary.com to visit Dennis’ memorial web page to leave condolences and share stories. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the following: Southern Poverty Law Center https://donate.splcenter.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=463 Emergency Family Assistance Association http://www.efaa.org/donate/ TRU Hospice https://www.trucare.org/product/donation/”;