Merlin Lee Dennis

Surrounded by his loving family, Merlin died peacefully at his home in Centennial, Colorado on Friday, April 24. Merlin was born on January 27, 1932 in rural Phillips County to Orville and Viola (Larson) Dennis. He attended Agra High School and then Kansas State University where he was a member of Farm House Fraternity and Blue Key Honorary Society. Graduating magna cum laude, he was commissioned a 2^nd Lt. in the Army Signal Corp and stationed at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

One Sunday evening he went to a group meeting at the Methodist church in Red Bank New Jersey and met Barbara, his future wife, who was working as a paralegal on Wall Street. They married a year and a half later and after finishing his tour of duty, they moved to the farm in Kansas where they lived for 46 years and became the parents of two daughters, Susan Thomason (Terry) and Jeanne Nichols (Bruce).

In 1966, he joined the Board of Directors of Rural Telephone Service serving for 40 years. He served on the Board of the National Telephone Cooperative for 11 years and was President for two years. In 1995, he was also on the Board of the Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative and in 2000 was awarded the Director Life Achievement Award. In 1978 Merlin and Barbara started taking the Northwest Kansas High School Groups to New York, Washington D.C. and Gettysburg- a tradition that continued for 40 years. In addition, they enjoyed escorting multiple groups on cruises and motorcoach tours around the United States, Caribbean and Europe.

In 1978, he and his family were chosen as the American Royal Farm Family of the year. Merlin was active in the Phillipsburg United Methodist Church and a choir member for many years. In 2002, he worked extensively with the Salvation Army at Ground Zero following the 9-11 attack. Merlin and Barbara retired to Colorado in 2004 and transferred his love of musical theatre to the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre in Grand Lake serving on their board and as President for a number of years.

His parents and older brother Duane preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 63 years Barbara, his daughters Susan Thomason (Terry) and Jeanne Nichols (Bruce) and two grandchildren (Greg Thomason and Molly Nichols).

Memorial contributions may be made to the Denver Rescue Mission, 6100 Smith Road, Denver, CO 80216. Please reference Merlin Dennis memorial contribution.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

""Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts""