Denis Tatgenhorst

Denis Tatgenhorst

May 31, 1953 – June 1, 2022

Beecher/ Illinois - Denis was born in East Chicago, Indiana to George Tatgenhorst, Jr. and Pauline Maskovich Tatgenhorst. He passed away at home surrounded by love on June 1, 2022, after a courageous 2 year battle with pancreatic cancer. Denis devoted his 40+ year career to Illinois law enforcement, proudly serving the Lynwood Police Department as patrol officer, juvenile officer, D.A.R.E. Instructor, and Sergeant for over 30 years. He was the Director of Community Policing in Minooka for 8 years, and the Director of Beecher Emergency Management Agency, where he also served as a part-time police officer and worked in community policing. Early in his career Denis also served the Thornton and East Hazel Crest departments and began his career journey at the Glenwood Police Department as a police cadet and dispatcher. Denis was an alumnus of Northwestern University Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command, and proudly served in the U.S. Army 101 st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles, for a brief while during the Vietnam era. Denis loved camping (aka "glamping") at the family's slice of heaven in Michigan, go-kart, stock car and NASCAR racing, and his family.

Denis devoted many hours to numerous organizations, including Lions Club, various Law Enforcement Explorer programs, Special Olympics, food pantries, Shop with a Cop and Project Share. He participated in building "NASQUADS" for three police departments. He was known for his booming voice, having no filter, riding in their Slingshot, talking like Donald Duck, loved to dance, and his we're-doing-this-my-way state of mind. On a family cruise he was voted "Mr. Diamond Princess" (really, you had to be there) and by the end of the cruise everyone on the ship knew him by name. But he could be a softy, and with his partner in life Denise, they loved doing countless quiet good works for those needing a boost in life.

A special thank you goes out to Silver Cross Hospital, its physicians, and the UChicago Medicine Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital for the outstanding care Denis received. Thank you for the extra two years. And to Compassionate Care Hospice for their caring, thorough, and passionate commitment to providing the finest end-of-life care possible.

Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at Bethel Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Glenwood-Lansing Road, Lansing, Illinois from 2:00 to 7:00 PM with services immediately following with Pastor Shaun Buikema officiating. Cremation to follow.

Denis is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Denise (nee Paris), his sons: Dustin and Dana (Gayle Pischner); his grandsons: Zachary and Colton Fliszar-Tatgenhorst; his sister, Mary (Sandy Olevsky) Kosa; his brothers-in-law: David (Colette) Gurin and Jeffery Paris; his cherished cousins: Diane (Brian) Lorenc, Darlene (Lou) Aigner, Rick (Renee) Tatgenhorst, Robert (Sandy) Tatgenhorst, Pattie Villanueva, and Denise Bulla Owens; and loved extended family too numerous to name. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, special uncle and aunts: Richard and Pat Tatgenhorst and Floris Mae Kosa; his mother- and father-in-law, Oliver and Nola Paris; sisters-in-law, Lynn Paris Gurin and Tammy Paris; and his cousins: Debbie Beck and Timothy Tatgenhorst and David and Dwayne Bulla. He will be dearly missed by his furbabies, Sarge and LT. To his Brothers and Sisters in Blue, "Let's be careful out there."

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Denis' name directly to the Tatgenhorst family which will then be distributed to the police and fire charities of their choice. www.schroederlauer.com