Denis
Denis Dement
d. September 17, 2014
It is with heavy heart that we say goodbye to Denis Patrick Dement, who joined the ranks of Angels on September 17, 2014. He was diagnosed with renal cancer in April, at which point it had metastasized. His last six months were a bit up and down, but for the last half of them, he was happy, pain free and his old rambunctious self.
He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina to Jacques and Marie Antoinette Dement on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1939 at the end of the depression. He used to say that the house he grew up in had running water… he would take the bucket to the outside pump, fill it up, and run back to the house.
During most of his childhood he could be found outside in the woods or on some river hunting and fishing. His canoe and shotgun were his favorite possessions. Eventually he sold his canoe to help pay for college. He attended NC State for two years and then transferred to the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where he got his degree in political science with a concentration in Latin American Studies. After a one year stint at the IRS he returned to UNC and got a Master’s in Education.
He worked for several years as a high school teacher in Gastonia, NC and then took a job with Baltimore County Public Schools in 1966 where he taught Biology and Social Studies. After 35 years he retired to home school his sons.
Denis was an avid sailor and he and his wife spent many summers out on the Chesapeake Bay. It was a great way to spend the summer for two teachers.
Once his sons were in college Denis began to pursue his lifelong passions – photography and drawing. He began taking classes at Anne Arundel Community College. Forever the teacher, it was not unusual for him to help out in the darkroom or come in early and help mix chemicals for his photography class. This fun time in his life was cut short by a devastating illness.
Over the last few months Denis had been faced with incredible pain and hardships but never lost his sense of humor or compassion for those around him. There were many lessons to be learned from watching him handle this stage of his life with grace and dignity.
His son Kevin says it best…
“Today I said goodbye to the most influential man in my life. I take with me all the tidbits of wisdom and decorum he gave and hope to be a better person for that. You, my friends and family, have been amazing through this all and I love each and every one of you. I, along with my brother, am his legacy. I hope to embody all of the good, a bit less of the bad, and with my own little pinch of crazy, have a rich, full life because of, and in honor of my father. Love you always.”
Denis is survived by his wife, JoAnne, and sons Kevin and Patrick.
A memorial service will take place Saturday, September 27, 2014 at McCully-Polyniak Funeral Home, 3204 Mountain Road Pasadena, MD from 2:00 until 4:00pm with a reception afterwards for family and friends at the Dement residence.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Seasons Hospice
• via internet: http://seasonsfoundation.org/ across banner- click on “support us”
• via mail to: Seasons Hospice Foundation 8537 Solution Center, Chicago, IL 60677-8005 - include your check, name of patient you are honoring, your name and address, and name and address of the person they would like the acknowledgement of the memorial donation sent to.
He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina to Jacques and Marie Antoinette Dement on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1939 at the end of the depression. He used to say that the house he grew up in had running water… he would take the bucket to the outside pump, fill it up, and run back to the house.
During most of his childhood he could be found outside in the woods or on some river hunting and fishing. His canoe and shotgun were his favorite possessions. Eventually he sold his canoe to help pay for college. He attended NC State for two years and then transferred to the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where he got his degree in political science with a concentration in Latin American Studies. After a one year stint at the IRS he returned to UNC and got a Master’s in Education.
He worked for several years as a high school teacher in Gastonia, NC and then took a job with Baltimore County Public Schools in 1966 where he taught Biology and Social Studies. After 35 years he retired to home school his sons.
Denis was an avid sailor and he and his wife spent many summers out on the Chesapeake Bay. It was a great way to spend the summer for two teachers.
Once his sons were in college Denis began to pursue his lifelong passions – photography and drawing. He began taking classes at Anne Arundel Community College. Forever the teacher, it was not unusual for him to help out in the darkroom or come in early and help mix chemicals for his photography class. This fun time in his life was cut short by a devastating illness.
Over the last few months Denis had been faced with incredible pain and hardships but never lost his sense of humor or compassion for those around him. There were many lessons to be learned from watching him handle this stage of his life with grace and dignity.
His son Kevin says it best…
“Today I said goodbye to the most influential man in my life. I take with me all the tidbits of wisdom and decorum he gave and hope to be a better person for that. You, my friends and family, have been amazing through this all and I love each and every one of you. I, along with my brother, am his legacy. I hope to embody all of the good, a bit less of the bad, and with my own little pinch of crazy, have a rich, full life because of, and in honor of my father. Love you always.”
Denis is survived by his wife, JoAnne, and sons Kevin and Patrick.
A memorial service will take place Saturday, September 27, 2014 at McCully-Polyniak Funeral Home, 3204 Mountain Road Pasadena, MD from 2:00 until 4:00pm with a reception afterwards for family and friends at the Dement residence.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Seasons Hospice
• via internet: http://seasonsfoundation.org/ across banner- click on “support us”
• via mail to: Seasons Hospice Foundation 8537 Solution Center, Chicago, IL 60677-8005 - include your check, name of patient you are honoring, your name and address, and name and address of the person they would like the acknowledgement of the memorial donation sent to.
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