Dennis Allan Oliver was born in Portland, Oregon, on March 5, 1951—the only child of his parents, Ernie and Frances Oliver. Dennis was born with a myriad of life-threatening health issues. The Doctors told his parents they did not expect him to live much past his teenage years. Lion Dennis was a relatively new member and volunteered at COLERC
Ernie, Frances, and young Dennis moved to the Holyoke, Colorado, area when Dennis was approximately three years old. His Father moved back to his parents' family farm to live on and farm their land.
Dennis was in and out of Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado, enduring multiple open heart surgeries before he was a teenager. Between those medical crises, Dennis pursued the "normal" life of a farm boy and became involved in many school activities, such as band, school plays, and even some school sports.
After graduating from Holyoke High School, Dennis continued his education. He completed his associate degree at Northeastern Junior College and then graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Denver in 1974. Dennis joined a business fraternity while at D.U., making many friends he kept for the rest of his life.
Dennis then went to Los Angeles to work in the jewelry and gemological business connected to his major. After about a year, he decided he missed Colorado and moved back to Holyoke to work at his mother's property title abstract office. At that time, many oil company "landmen" worked at the Phillips County Abstract and Title office, researching ownership records for possible oil development. One of the oil company landmen told Dennis his next assignment was in North Carolina and asked if Dennis would be interested in going there to work. No more needed to be said. Dennis was on his way to a thirty-year career traveling the United States doing preliminary title searches for multiple major and minor oil companies. Dennis made countless contacts and friends throughout the United States through this work, many of whom he stayed friends with his entire life. Dennis decided to buy a townhouse in Denver to make his home base. Dennis loved Holyoke, but it was simply too small and did not have enough gourmet eateries and theatrical opportunities to satisfy his love of the "cultured" life!
If you had met Dennis even once, you would most likely have become one of his "incredible" friends for life, which meant invitations to stay at his house in Denver, to experience one of his countless culinary opportunities, to attend plays and concerts, or to travel the world with him! Hometown Holyoke could not provide him with the world experiences he greatly desired!
If you were one of his many best friends and were having rough times, Dennis would make you his priority and stay with you, helping and counseling until your situation improved. Dennis truly cared about his friends and relatives.
Dennis's health took a sharp turn for the worse in March 2023, and he spent the next year fighting a rapidly deteriorating situation. But during that time, when not in a hospital, he insisted on living life to the fullest, continuing to attend dining, theatre performances, and social experiences. He even insisted on several cross-country trips, which were excruciatingly difficult for him to do, given his deteriorating health.
Dennis finally gave in to his lifelong health battle on Friday, April 19th, 2024, and moved on to the next place to continue his "partying," as he always optimistically said I't!
Dennis's leaving this world to "party" at his next assignment will leave an incredible void in the lives of countless friends and acquaintances he touched by helping, counseling, and partying within his much longer than ever imagined full lifetime!
Dennis will truly be sorely missed!