Dennis grew up in the Old North End of Burlington, Vt. He attended Burlington High School, where he played baseball, which he also did while representing Vermont at the Burlington International Games. After graduating in 1974, he served in the U.S. Army at Fort Polk in Louisiana before returning to resume employment at the Burlington Free Press, where he worked as a printer, until his retirement in 2011.
In 1979, he married Wendy Duba. They had two sons: William and Timothy. He passed his appreciation of baseball to them, volunteering to coach teams and teaching them (with some success) how to hit. He also took the boys on bicycle rides and the family on beach visits. Dennis and Wendy divorced in 2005, and Dennis married Debbie LaTulippe (née Degree) a year later. They relocated to New Port Richey, Fla., in 2012, where Dennis enjoyed creating stained-glass pieces in his retirement.
Dennis passed peacefully on September 9, 2026, after dealing with multiple medical issues. In addition to the aforementioned, he is survived by Timothy’s family: his daughter-in-law, Ilhem, and his granddaughter. He is also survived by his sisters, Michelle and Wendy; nephews, Joseph and Daniel; and stepchildren, Steven, Emily and Michelle. He was predeceased by his parents, Paul and Virginia.