Dennis Lee Pool

Dennis, eldest child of Madeline (Ruhs) and Warren Pool, was born on December 2, 1947 in Boise, ID. He graduated from Alma High School in Alma, NE in 1966. His love of learning and athletics drove him to study education and he received his Bachelors of Science in Education from Kearney State College in 1970. In 1968 Dennis married Annette Miller and they had three daughters; Molly, Megan and Catherine.

After graduating Dennis began his career in Alliance, NE as a math teacher and coach. In 1975 he spent one year teaching in McCook, NE. In 1976 Dennis and his family moved to Hickman, NE where he began teaching math at Norris High School. While working in the Norris School District he was head coach of Norris’s 1979 Class B State Champion football team and assistant coach on the 1980 State Champion basketball team. In 1983 Dennis obtained his Master of Education degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) and became the Norris High School Principal. In 1987 Dennis decided to expand his influence on education programs in Nebraska by working for the Nebraska State Department of Education as an Administrator of School Finance. In 1993 he received his Doctor of Education degree from UNL.

In 1997 Dennis married Brenda (Klein) Bitzer, and became step-father to sons Darren and Derek. In that same year they moved to Omaha, NE and he became the Assistant Superintendent for General Administration for Omaha Public Schools. He worked in this school district in an Administrative role until his retirement in 2015. In the later years of his career he served as an adjunct instructor of school finance with the Universities of Nebraska in Kearney and Omaha.

Along with his distinguished career in education, Dennis served as a leader in many professional associations. Noted among these positions are President of the University of Nebraska – Kearney Alumni Association, and President of the Nebraska Educational Service Coordinating Council.

In his retirement Dennis loved spending time with his family and many friends. He enjoyed swimming with his grandchildren, watching Cornhusker and Bears football, building World War II era model airplanes and watching the many birds that would stop by his bird feeder collection. In order to continue to serve as an educator he spent time supervising student teachers at UNK.

Dennis lived his life as a passionate educator and mentor, a strong willed and trusted leader, and a fun loving and much loved husband, father, grandfather and friend.

Dennis is survived by his wife Brenda; children Molly Pool, Megan (Phil) Conley, Catherine (Ryan) Kearney, Darren (Tamara) Bitzer, and Derek (Alyssa) Bitzer; grandchildren Ada Pool Macías (12), Gerald Conley (2), Willa Kearney (15), Mae Kearney (12), Cohen Bitzer (8), Isla Bitzer (5), Briar Bitzer (8) and Aubrey Bitzer (7); mother-in-law June Klein; brothers Michael and Scott Pool; sisters Patricia Pool, Connie (Antonio) Garcia, and Vickie (Kelly) (Hruska) Fackrell; sister-in-law Linda (Bill) Woodruff; many nieces and nephews and countless friends.

Dennis is preceded in death by parents Madeline Pool, Warren Pool and John Hruska; father-in-law Richard Klein; brother Danny Pool; and nephew Nathan Garcia.

Celebration of Life for Dennis will be held Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, Gate #3, 6800 South 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68512. lincolnfh.com