Dennis Chicken

Dennis Oren Chicken, age 71, lost his second battle with cancer in the early morning hours of Tuesday, November 3, 2020, with his wife by his side.

Dennis was born on a chilly, March day in Lodi, New Jersey, just a few years after the end of the Second World War.  He grew up in a modest home on Union Street with his father John, mother Gladys, and siblings Greg, Leah and Lynn.  After attending Don Bosco Preparatory High School, Dennis attended Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, graduating in 1972 with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, meeting and marrying a young nurse named Eugenia along the way.

Dennis and Jean's son Brent was born soon after, with son Blake arriving next, shortly after the couple had relocated to the Poconos in Pennsylvania.  Dennis served as a volunteer fireman, and continued his work as a pharmacist, eventually rising to become the Vice President of Carriage Drugs.  In the early 1990s, the family relocated a second time, to Palm Coast, Florida, where Dennis was an active saltwater/freshwater fisherman and hunter.

After spending several years in Jacksonville, Florida, the couple moved to Monument, Colorado, with Dennis working as the Director of Pharmacy for Colorado Springs Health Partners, raising goats, and spending time fly fishing and hiking in various locations throughout the Rockies.  By 2013 however, Dennis and Jean had settled in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Dennis was an avid PC gamer for over 30 years, playing everything from World of Warcraft and Elder Scrolls, to Counterstrike, Call of Duty and Player Unknown's Battlegrounds.  He also loved to travel with Jean, both domestically and internationally, and spending time with his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  Dennis is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Jean; his siblings Greg, Lynn and Leah; his sons, Brent and Blake; his nephews Jon and Ryan; his nieces Lisa and Meghan; and his grandchildren, Lillian and Oren.

Services will be held on Friday, November 6, 2020, at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 9905 Foothills Canyon Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 (720.348.9700).  A rosary service and viewing will begin at 10:00 AM, with a funeral mass to follow at 11:00 AM.  Relatives, family and friends are welcome to attend, subject to applicable COVID-19 regulations and/or guidelines.  St. Mark's asks that attendees wear masks while entering the church or moving around within.  Services will also be streamed via the internet, available by clicking the link below

In lieu of flowers, please consider offering a Mass intention for Dennis. You may do so in person downstairs in the parish office after the funeral Mass, or you may call the office for more information.