Dennis Lee Everett

Dennis Lee Everett was born April 30, 1958, in Davenport, Iowa to Lola Nadine and Larry Laverne Everett. He entered the world just 5 minutes behind his twin brother, David Bruce Everett. Within a few months, the family moved to Imperial Beach where his dad was stationed with the Navy.

The family spent some time stationed in Okinawa, Japan before returning to Davenport for a year. They then settled again in Imperial Beach where Dennis attended Mar Vista Middle School and Mar Vista High School, where he met the love of his life, Pam Wilson.

Dennis was a talented musician, a wonderful singer and adept at playing most brass instruments, his favorite being the baritone. He loved most of all his calling to lead the congregation in singing for the lord.

In high school, Dennis was also a founding member of the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program. He served as a staff officer, a rifle drill team member and captain, as well as being a founding member, and right guard, for the 50 flags drill team.

He discovered a love of theatre and was a lighting and sound tech all four years at Mar Vista High. He also occasionally appeared as a performer in shows and was a charter member of the school’s Thespian troupe. In 1973, at the beginning of the production of Warrior’s Husband, Dennis met Pam.

After graduating from Mar Vista in 1976, Dennis followed Pam to Lubbock, Texas, where the duo attended Lubbock Christian College. He continued to share his love and talent for the arts in the LCC Marching Band and in the Drama department, where he rose to the role of auditorium technical manager. While at LCC, he worked for the security department and the cafeteria. In 1980, he managed the piece school café.

Dennis and Pam married on July 19, 1980, at Glen Abbey’s Little Chapel of the Roses. They returned to Lubbock where Dennis had one semester remaining to graduate, and graduate he did in December 1980 with a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in Bible.

For as long as anyone can remember, Dennis wanted to serve in the Navy. He only went to college because his father, Larry, and Pam’s father, Palmer, (both career enlisted Navy men) convinced him that he could go beyond their levels in the Navy and would become an Officer.

He enlisted in the Coast Guard Reserves in 1977, playing in the band program in Alameda, California during training. He drove to Dallas, Texas monthly for his reserve weekends and served his two-week summer duties out of New Orleans, Louisiana on the Mississippi River.

In 1981, Dennis began his Naval career attending Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida. He then attended Flight Ground School. Upon completion, he transferred to the Fleet after confirming that he wanted to be on ships, but not as a pilot. Dennis and Pam spent a very cold winter in Newport, Rhode Island for one last school before Dennis was sent to his first ship, the USS John F. Kennedy.

They would live in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, Virginia for twelve years. While there they were blessed with two children: Jeremy in 1983 and Amanda in 1986. Dennis was a very involved dad participating in all their activities from being a Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader to being a Band/Drama/NJROTC Dad.

In 1991, the family transferred to San Pedro, California before finally coming home to San Diego in 1992 when Dennis moved from Active Duty to the Naval Reserves. Prior to his full retirement from the Navy in 2001, Dennis took several “vacations” for joint exercises and Embassy Duties in beautiful locations like Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.

In 1992, Dennis answered an ad to sell insurance “while he figured out what he wanted to do when he grew up,” as he liked to say. Thus began his 30+ years in the Funeral Industry. Dennis was a California Licensed Funeral Director, a Licensed Cemetery Manager, and a Licensed Crematory Manager.

After trying out almost every aspect of the industry, Dennis found his place as a Crematory Operator and Manager, though he did still assist families and stand funeral services until he retired.

Dennis and Pam continued to play in the theatre at Coronado Playhouse working in the office, making table decorations and props, and helping backstage.

Dennis returned to the Father on March 16, 2024, leaving behind his wife: Pam; children: Jeremy and Amanda; daughter-in-law: Kathryn; grandsons: William and Palmer; parents: Lola and Larry; niblings: Cassie, Christy, Alex, Abbie, and Ariel; and a host friends and church family. He will be greatly missed.

His spirit has been called home to the Lord and his earthly remains are in the care of Miramar National Cemetery.