Archived Services

Dennis Michael Arens
07-20-2024

Dennis “Denny” Arens, was a devoted husband; a loving father and father-in-law; an amazing grandfather, brother and brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, and a true friend to all. He lived for fun and adventure, especially with family, which is how our family is finding peace with his passing. The Lord chose to take him during a family vacation, after two glorious days of joy and laughter. He was surrounded by those who loved him the most. 

Dennis is remembered for his compassion, his kindness, and his playfulness. He had such pride for his family and surrounded himself with incredible friends. He woke early to meet with friends and family for breakfast to connect, catch up and get his day started. Dennis was a part of the DAV “family” and looked forward to playing cards and bantering with his buddies on a daily basis. 

After 30 years of working at John Morrell’s, he enjoyed 15 years of retirement. At 82 years old, he was a vibrant young soul and he will always be memorialized for his energy, warmth, humor, stories, inappropriate jokes, and infectious laugh. He put thousands of miles on his motorcycle exploring the country and experiencing new territory. He could also be found riding around Sioux Falls looking for friends who may be in their yard so he could stop, have a beer and chat for a while. His love for nature was second to none. There was not a bird, mammal, or fish that Dennis could not identify, and his preference was to see each and every one of them in their natural habitat. A perfect day for Dennis was on the water with a fishing rod in hand and a friend or family member by his side.

Dennis is now resting with his beautiful wife, precious daughter, and his loving Mom and Dad in heaven. He can now see Alaska, Africa, Spain and every other country on his bucket list, which is a very long list! The void left by his passing is immeasurable, and he will be dearly missed by all who were touched by his love and kindness.

Visitation and memory sharing will take place at Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home on Friday, July 26 from 5PM-8PM (memory sharing at 7PM) and a Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 27, at 11 AM, at Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans, where he spent many hours enjoying the company of those whom he loved. Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 1, 1519 W. 51 St, Sioux Falls, SD,