Dennis Carter Carlock

Our wonderful husband, father and grandfather, Dennis Carter Carlock, 74 of Clovis, CA passed away on September 30, 2022. He was born to parents Marlin and Gladys Carlock on July 10, 1948 in La Junta, CO. Dennis' family moved from La Junta in 1952 to San Bernardino, CA so that his father could start work at the BNSF railroad.

Dennis attended school in San Bernardino, graduating from Pacific High School in 1966. His interests were in politics and languages, especially Russian. He was elected class president and speaker and enjoyed guitar, basketball, surfing and especially baseball.

He continued his education at the University of CA Santa Barbara, moving there in the summer of 1966. As for many of us, college was a time of exploration for Dennis and also a time of student activism aimed at protesting the Vietnam War. In June 1970, he graduated from UCSB with degrees in Russian Area Studies and Political Science.

After a move to Northern CA, he earned his teaching credentials and began teaching in the foothills east of Sacramento. He excelled at teaching, loved his career and changed lives. Dennis made learning a natural and joyous activity for his students and worked hard to help them become capable, creative and caring individuals. He is still fondly remembered today by many of his former students as the best teacher they ever had.

Later, Dennis ventured into School Administration and earned his MA in Educational Administration from CSU Fresno. He served in a number of roles: vice-principal, principal and superintendent-principal.

Some of his most cherished years were spent in Yosemite National Park as the Teaching Principal of Yosemite Elementary School in the late 1980's. During this time, he developed and carried out a Junior Diplomats Program with Ukraine. This was a cultural exchange program between Yosemite students and Ukrainian students from Kiev. It was a wonderful experience in the age of “Gorbachev” and “glastnost” (openess) in the Soviet Union and a great success.

In 1997 he accepted a position as Principal of Wilson Elementary School in Wilson, WY located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This was another very special time for him. One highlight was the founding of the InterConnections 21 program in 1998. This gave Wilson students and teachers opportunities to “think globally and act locally”. The program included a trip to the United Nations in NYC and promoted human rights, peace and democracy. This program continues to this day in Jackson Hole.

Dennis enjoyed sports as a player and spectator, most notably, baseball and basketball and was an avid Giants and Warriors fan. He golfed, hiked and loved to travel. He took trips through most of the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and Russia. He was fascinated with languages and cultures.

Dennis and his wife Susan met as teachers at Jackson Elementary School in El Dorado Hills, CA in the fall of 1982. They fell in love and were married in May of 1984 in Coloma, CA. They have four children: Grace and Ellie between them and two from a previous marriage, Chad and Chelsea. Dennis always cherished spending time with his children and loved his three grandchildren; Patrick, Paige and Vesta.

Dennis retired in 2005 and although he initially took some outside work in tutoring and educational research, he felt most comfortable spending time at home, listening to music, watching the Giants or Warriors games, writing about his life experiences, reading voraciously and doting over one small black terrier named Maddy.

Dennis is survived by his wife of 38 years Susan; son Chad and wife Lisa; daughter Chelsea and husband Travis; daughter Grace and husband Chauncey; and daughter Ellie, as well as three beloved grandchildren. Dennis was predeceased by parents Marlin and Gladys Carlock and brothers Ken and Wesley Carlock.

The Memorial Service will be held on October 15, 2022 at 11:00 am at Hope Lutheran Church in Fresno.

Donations may be made to the charity of your choice supporting relief for Ukraine, a place dear to Dennis' heart.