Dennis Elwood Hart passed peacefully from this life into eternal life before dawn on September 6, 2022, holding the hand of the love of his life, Carolyne. Though Alzheimer's disease had gradually erased Dennis's entertaining stories of travelling the world to negotiate international oil exploration contracts, fly fishing in the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and California, and sailing the Pacific as a Navy signalman, he never lost his love for his four children, his wife,.. and his Savior, Jesus Christ. And weeks before his passing he could still sing "You Are My Sunshine" and "Edelweiss" and play the harmonica.

Dennis was born November 24, 1934 in Sioux City, Iowa to Ivan and Anna Hart. His brother Richard was six years older and loved to say that he was born in jail (he was - where Anna's parents, Hugh and Isabelle Maxwell, lived for many years while serving as County Sherriff). Dennis later learned of a sister who was miscarried or stillborn before Dennis came along.

Dennis fondly remembered a childhood filled with outdoor adventures, a paper route that included 110 homes and a steep bike ride up the hill to Briar Cliff College (and a fast but treacherous ride down), and summer vacations fishing with his dad and working on his Uncle Guy's farm. At Central High School ("The Castle on the Hill") Dennis played football and ran hurdles, wrote for the school newspaper, and performed in Gilbert & Sullivan musicals and choir with his beautiful bass voice.

Dennis attended Iowa State College, studying architecture and engineering. He graduated in 1959 with a diploma from Iowa State University, though he liked to say he had never attended a single class there (the name changed the same month he graduated). He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and his Fiji brothers remained lifelong friends.

Midway through his time at Iowa State, Dennis completed his required military service by enlisting in the Navy and serving as a signalman and quartermaster on the destroyer USS Preston patrolling from Japan to the Philippines, with stops in Hong Kong and Honolulu. He fondly recalled his days as a "Tin Can Sailor" and often said he would love to go to sea again, especially during typhoon season. Though he never got a tattoo himself, he was quick to tell anyone with a tattoo about the "interesting" tattoos his shipmates got in Far Eastern ports. Dennis also had fond memories of the summer he spent in Los Angeles during college, living with his brother Richard and exploring L.A. on Richard's motorcycle.

After working for Morse Chain Company in Chicago and Ithaca, New York, Dennis married Melinda Bresee and moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked for the U.S. Patent Office during the day and attended Georgetown Law School at night, graduating with a J.D. in 1964. While at Georgetown he clerked for District Court Judge Katherine Kelly whom he credited with giving him the lifelong perspective that women were equally qualified to be exceptional lawyers and other professionals in then-male dominated fields. He also told stories of John F. Kennedy's frequent open motorcade rides with visiting foreign dignitaries, always at lunchtime to draw the largest crowds, and of going to Arlington National Cemetery on the day Kennedy was buried.

After law school Dennis worked as a prosecutor (Assistant District Attorney), defense attorney, Counsel for the U.S. Treasury Department in the Nixon administration's War on Organized Crime, Washington lobbyist for Standard Oil of Indiana, and Negotiator for Amoco International Oil Company (first in Chicago, then Houston and finally London).

This phase of his life provided many interesting experiences, but most important to him was the birth of his two older children, Russell (Rusty) and Denise. He loved their time together and regretted that his divorce kept him from experiencing their high school years in the same way as their childhood years which he remembered fondly.

Dennis's adventures traveling the world for Amoco negotiating oil exploration agreements with foreign governments took him to 27 countries throughout Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Amoco's early interest in China led to a University of Chicago Far Eastern Studies major being hired to translate Chinese geological journals into English during the summer of 1979. That intern was Carolyne LaGrange and throughout Dennis's life he declared their 40-year marriage the most unlikely but happiest story of his life. That he left Amoco while working in London to start Hart International was one of his poorest decisions in hindsight, but it meant he was able to devote the rest of his life to serving Carolyne as primary homemaker during their 12 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and 22 Years in Fort Collins, Colorado.

It was during their time in California that Dennis and Carolyne gave their lives to Christ, being baptized on August 5, 1990 in Lincoln Glen Church by mentors and pastors, Werner Kroeker and Loren Kroeker. Dennis was eternally grateful to them for their patience, wisdom and investment in his life and for many happy memories of biblical discussion, Kroeker family meals, and fly-fishing adventures with Loren. He was also grateful for the friendships developed through the Amway business and their impact on his personal and spiritual development.

Dennis's childhood dream of living in Colorado became reality in 1995 when Carolyne and Dennis relocated to Fort Collins and purchased a home on Baker Lake, with fishing from his own dock and short drives into the mountains for fishing in Rocky Mountain Park and Poudre Canyon.

At age 62, Dennis began the final great adventure of his life, with the birth of twins, Hannah and Hugh. Being a full-time, hands-on, older dad was something that Dennis always cherished and threw himself into with humor and gusto. When his peers told him, "Better you than me," he always responded, "Best thing ever. It keeps me young!" Singlehandedly caring for toddlers during Carolyne's business trips led to many "Well, we had an adventure today!" phone calls, at least one E.R. visit, and hilarious "Dad's in charge" photos and videos. He became a fixture on the playground at Resurrection Christian School and on the sidelines at soccer and football practices. Butterfly Kisses dances, Baker Lake 4 ^th of July festivities, Carp Fishing Derbies, and family getaways (even if it meant suffering through his loud snoring) are happy memories.

Signs of Dennis's developing dementia began as early as Hannah and Hugh's middle school years so "never boring" took on added meaning as the family navigated those twists and turns. Adding Ha Ri Jang to the family as an exchange student throughout high school and into college years took "never boring" to an even higher level. Dennis remained an enthusiastic father throughout their high school and college years, bragging on Hannah, Hugh, and Ha Ri's accomplishments, even if he didn't always get the details straight.

In Fort Collins, Dennis was an active member of Peak Community Church and Resurrection Fellowship, served on the board of the Alpha Center crisis pregnancy clinic, and taught Political Science at Front Range Community College. He enjoyed Fort Collins Symphony and Opera Fort Collins performances. In later years, he and Carolyne benefited from dementia support from Cyndy Luzinski's Memory Café and Caregiver Support launched as Dementia Together as well as symphony concerts through Colorado State University / Banner Health's research initiative, B Sharp.

Moving to Brookings, South Dakota in 2017 brought easy access to concerts, community events, and family gatherings with Carolyne's mother, stepfather, and sisters. Regular trips to Iowa to see Hannah and Hugh at college and to visit Carolyne's family there triggered memories of Dennis's days in Sioux City and Ames. Having Hannah, Hugh, and Ha Ri (a.k.a. the Hart Triplets) in Brookings for extended periods was good for Dennis and invaluable for Carolyne.

Dogs were always an important part of Dennis's life and none more than his beloved Chocolate Lab, Aspen. Though he welcomed puppy Cedar in June 2020, Dennis never did learn Cedar's name, so Cedar adapted to being called Aspen. Even as Dennis's memory for recent events faded, he could recall his dogs Tippy, Gandy, Grits, Cocoa, Moss, Genevieve, and Blaze.

Dennis attended South Dakota Art Museum programs and went to work there with Carolyne for a period before going to Edgewood Vista Memory Care for day care, where he embraced his "job" as Support Staff Assistant. From March 2020 until June 20, 2022 when he moved to The Neighborhoods, Dennis was cared for at home by dozens of Interim Healthcare aides who joined him at the kitchen table for conversation, music, art projects and meals. In spring of 2022, Brookings Healthcare Hospice staff also provided services to Dennis and the family, initially in-home and later at The Neighborhoods.

Dennis's transition to The Neighborhoods was bittersweet as it meant the end to more than 40 years of living with Carolyne but, he was happy in his room that we called "Dennis's Dorm Room," filled with family photos, artwork, books, stuffed animals, and music. He appreciated the care he received; the family loved visiting him there as wife, daughter and son rather than caregiver; and the staff enjoyed his cheery demeanor, sense of humor, and repertoire of songs that he sang for them. We miss that too and hold onto the treasure chest of memories we each have of Dennis.

Dennis is survived by his wife Carolyne of Brookings; children: Rusty (Janice) Hart of St. Charles, Illinois, Denise (Chad) Alfeld of Simsbury, Connecticut, Hannah Hart of Salt Lake City, Hugh (Rachael) Hart of Iowa City, Iowa and Ha Ri Jang of Brookings and Bucheon, South Korea; grandchildren: Russell Hart, Adam Hart and Erin Hart, all of Chicago, Meegan Hart of Boulder, Colorado, Emma Alfeld of New York City, Ellie Alfeld of Boston; mothers-in-law: Harriet Swedlund of Brookings and Laura LaGrange of Ames, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Esther Hart of Ridgecrest, California, Elizabethann (Luciano Del Bufalo) LaGrange of New York City, Pamela Swedlund of Wichita, Kansas, Robyn Renz of Des Moines, Iowa and Molly Taiber of Cedar Falls, Iowa; nieces: Cindy (Joe) Klissus of Ridgecrest, California, Susie Hart of Bishop, California, and Julie Hart (Justin) of Santa Cruz, California, and Kate and Ava Swedlund of Springfield, Virginia; nephews: Julian and Roman Taiber of Cedar Falls, Iowa; and six great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Ivan and Anna Hart, brother Richard, infant sister, and fathers-in-law William LaGrange and Dean Swedlund, and brother-in-law Eric Swedlund.

Dennis worshipped at Holy Life Tabernacle, where a memorial service will be held November 5 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, cards may be sent to 916 Arrowhead Pass, Brookings, SD 57006. Memorial gifts to the organization of your choice are welcome as are gifts to Holy Life Tabernacle (holylifetabernacle.com) or Dementia Together (dementiatogether.org).