Dennis Wayne Kuli

Dennis Wayne Kuli was born June 5, 1936, in Detroit, the only child of Henrietta (Siersma) and John Kuli Jr. “Denny,” as his parents affectionately called him, spent his childhood in the Midwest – Michigan and Indiana, then settling in Ohio where his father established a career as a civilian electrician with the Army Air Corps Air Service Command during WWII at (then) Patterson Field on the outskirts of Dayton. Dennis’ most vivid and cherished memories of the time were of living in the Skyway Park community, adjacent to what has become Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He often recalled good times with extended family nearby, the fast friends he made, and how he earned a little extra money holding down a paper route or two in addition to selling various goods, like candied nuts and greeting cards, door-to-door.

After the War, his father sought a transfer to Edwards Air Force Base, and while Dennis was a teenager, the family moved to Lancaster, located in Southern California’s High Desert. Dennis attended Antelope Valley High School, and during his extracurricular time, he flourished on the baseball and debate teams while being active in DeMolay – a youth leadership organization affiliated with the Masons. He excelled academically and earned scholarships to pursue an education at the prestigious California Institute of Technology.

At Caltech, Dennis was quite the man about campus, rising in leadership roles, ultimately becoming President of Dabney House and the IHC (Interhouse Committee) in his Senior year. He was also a three-year letterman as an infielder on the baseball team, a member of the Beavers community service organization, and business manager for the “Big T,” Caltech’s annual. Eventually, he was awarded an exclusive Honor Key for his dedicated service to the student body. Dennis also reveled in the Caltech prankster tradition, and when not complicit, he enjoyed various elaborate practical jokes carried out by classmates. Most of the time, though, he focused on his studies, earning both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering.

From Pasadena, Dennis moved to a beach bungalow in Corona Del Mar with Dabney roommate and best friend, Terry Teigen. They started their careers together nearby at Ford’s Aeronutronic Systems, and worked on a handful of projects together – the Shillelagh missile inspired the most nostalgia among them. From there, Dennis moved on to engineering and management positions elsewhere in Southern California’s aerospace industry, including stops at Lear Siegler, The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, and Hughes Aircraft Company in Fullerton. He retired at the end of his second stint with The Aerospace Corporation.

Dennis’ days of living the life of a bachelor at the beach were numbered, when, in 1961, he had the incredible fortune to meet Jill – to whom, at least once a day, every day for the rest of his life, he referred as “…the love of my life and flower of my existence…” Dennis and Jill were married in Azuza on February 16, 1963. In August 1965, while living on Shaffer Street in Orange, Dennis and Jill joyfully welcomed Erik into the world. Close to Christmas in 1968, Mark was tucked into an infant-sized stocking for his arrival home, and Kirk rounded out the Kuli roster in October 1970.

n 1974, Dennis and Jill moved the Kuli Family of five to Henderson Way in Villa Park, where they formed steadfast friendships – through neighbors, the Villa Park Women’s League and River Rats – that have remained strong through the generations. As a dedicated and wonderful father, Dennis led the boys as proud members of the Chumash and Pahav Tribes with YMCA Indian Guides – once winning the “Indian 500” pine-car race with Kirk. Dad coaching all three sons in soccer was a great blessing to every family member – Go Dy-no-mite! As the boys grew up, Dennis avidly supported their athletic pursuits. He enthusiastically cheered them in countless competitions and regularly celebrated each in attendance at many awards banquets.

As a devoted family man, Dennis enjoyed the togetherness of regular visits to Green Valley Lake in the winter, camping in summer at Lake Tahoe, and making the pilgrimage to Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival every fall. A variety of adventurous road trips – the Grand Canyon and Washington state among them, put many more miles on the Kuli Family station wagons. Semi-annual trips to the Colorado River amongst lifelong close friends and three generations of families - the Villa Park River Rats - were the vacations that Dennis came to cherish above all.

Dennis’ enduring wonder about what it might be like to raise a girl was eventually fulfilled as the family would host three international exchange student “daughters”: Hetty (Holland), Steffi (Germany), and Beni (Italy). He later enjoyed visiting each in Europe in addition to their periodic return visits to the US. Soon enough, his heart would swell a little larger, as three delightful daughters-in-law would grace his life: Mary (Erik), Elaine (Mark), and Angela (Kirk).

Dennis happily served the Villa Park community as a volunteer for more than 40 years. His technical aptitude made him ideally suited to become the first President of the Villa Park Cable Television Corporation. His sense of integrity and his attention-to-detail made him a perfect City Treasurer for 19 years. Dennis’ volunteer work wasn’t all business. Although it was difficult enough to recognize him through the disguise, let alone reconcile the idea that their Grandpa might be ”The Man in the Suit”, Dennis’ eight grandchildren – along with hundreds of other kids – looked forward to his annual journey through the City as Santa Claus atop the VP firetruck every December for 15 years.

Dennis adored his grandchildren – Jake, Zoe, Emma, Dean, Kate, Katherine, Charlotte, and John – an ever-present super-fan at nearly every local soccer, baseball, and water polo game, every swim and gymnastic meet, dance recital and stage production in which they participated.

Loving Husband, Model Father, Doting Grandfather, Loyal Friend, Exceptional Student, Hard-Working Engineer, Devoted Community Volunteer, Life-long Detroit Tiger fan – many will heartfully remember Dennis in so many ways.

With all our Love, The Kuli Family