Dennis Edward Morefield

Dennis Morefield of Agoura Hills, passed away at his home September 17 surrounded by family and friends. Dennis succumbed to complications of congestive heart failure after a nearly five year battle maintaining his good humor and independence right to the end. He was 77.

Dennis was cremated and his remains laid to rest September 23 in a private family ceremony and his life was celebrated at Conejo Valley Community Church in Thousand Oaks on September 24.

Dennis was born to Laura Elizabeth Thonsbury Morefield and Dennis Ray Morefield on August 15, 1934 at his grandmother’s home in DuQuoin, Illinois. Dennis was raised in DuQuoin graduating DuQuion Township High School in 1952 before attending Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

After a three-year courtship, Dennis wed Lillie Jane Kopp on April 21, 1956 of Elkville, Illinois. The couple met in DuQuoin at a popular hangout known locally as the “Y.” They lived in Elkville until 1959 when they moved to California.

Jane and Dennis raised two boys in California, Brian and Bart and became grandparents four times, Brian and his wife Lori with daughter Hilary and son Aaron, and Bart and his wife Joy with son Alan and daughter Riley.

Career

By the age of six, Dennis had decided he wanted to be a newspaper man. It was not only a dream he would realize, but one in which he reached the profession’s pinnacle when he was named Editor of the Simi Valley Enterprise Sun & News in 1969. He would later also serve as Editor of the Santa Monica Evening Outlook.

Dennis began his newspaper career while attending SIU working for his hometown DuQuoin Evening Call in 1955. He reported on a variety of news but eventually he worked his way in sports, becoming the newspaper’s sports editor. In 1959, he accepted the sports editor’s position with a large John P. Scripps chain newspaper in Redding, California, the Record Searchlight. His talent as a writer and manager where recognized within the news syndicate when he was promoted to managing news editor of the chain’s Tulare Advanced Register in 1962 where he worked until being offered the top news post of Editor of the Enterprise.

Dennis’s 6-year tenure as head of the Enterprise was unprecedented. The failing throw-away tri-weekly newspaper quickly became a respected publication, community voice and a valued source of local information. The Enterprise received top honors from the California Newspaper Publishers Association on multiple occasions. The paper was awarded first or second place prizes for best Editorial Page, Front Page and Sports Page under his stewardship. Dennis personally won for Best Editorial Series both in 1971 and 1972. His editorials and community activism won him Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Man of the Year award in 1971. The Mayor and City Council of Simi Valley adjourned in his honor on September 20, 2011 in recognition of Dennis’s contributions to the early development of the city.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/sep/28/former-simi-valley-enterprise-editor-remembered

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/sep/30/pa-ventura-october-1-2011/

In 1976, Dennis took on the challenged of a twice a day publication accepting the Metro Editor post overseeing the daily operations and staffs of both the Decatur Herald and Review, a morning and evening publication in Decatur Illinois. Then, in 1977, he was wooed back to California to work as the Managing Editor for an urban daily, the Santa Monica Evening Outlook. He became Editor of newspaper in 1979 where his editorial stances and reputation garnered the attention of Los Angeles County Supervisor candidate Deane Dana.

In 1980, the newly elected Supervisor chose Dennis to become his Press Deputy. In this new phase of his career, Dennis became the Supervisor’s public voice, as a spokesman, speech writer and newsletter publisher coordinating media relations and contact with the radio, television and print journalists. Dana elevated Dennis to the number two post of Communications Director. Dennis was instrumental in the Supervisor’s successful 4-term, 16 year tenure. On September 22, 2011, the Los Angeles Country Board of Supervisors adjourned in his honor.

Baseball

Dennis was more than the avid Angels fan many came to know him as. He loved the game, growing up a St. Louis Browns fan in the heart of St. Louis Cardinal Country. Dennis played baseball early and developed into a talented left-handed pitcher playing semi-pro baseball. His ability brought Dennis to the attention of the Brown’s regional scout. Dennis was given a major league tryout with the Browns in 1953.

Dennis continued playing until he moved to California. He managed numerous Little League teams for several years in Tulare and Simi Valley. The first defensive fundamental he drilled into his young players every season in good humor was “always use both hands to catch the ball. Only one person on this field has a good excuse for not using two hands.”

Dennis was eight-weeks old when doctors discovered a lump on his right arm. The lump was determined to be a rare form of infantile cancer (now known as sarcoma). The decision was made to amputate the arm to save the child’s life. He lived that life to the fullest.

Dennis is survived by his wife Jane of 55 years, his brother Robert Morefield, sons and grandchildren.

Arrangements under the direction of Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Mortuary, Westlake Village, CA.