The son of Bruce Gordon Knickerbocker and Harriet Louise Knickerbocker, Dennis was born on October 15, 1942 in Flint, Michigan. After graduating from Mount Morris High School, he attended Michigan State University where he met his wife of 36 years, Constance S. (Schacht) “Connie”, and where he received a Master of Arts in journalism.
Dennis was an avid outdoorsman with a passion for Michigan and its natural beauty, and an accomplished journalist who dedicated his career to writing about Michigan, its people, and the outdoors. He was the editor of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ magazine, Michigan Out-of-Doors, for almost 10 years, and prior to that was the outdoor editor at the Lansing State Journal. Dennis began his career as a trainee with Booth Newspapers, starting at the Flint Journal and taking a full-time job as a reporter at the Ypsilanti Press. He also worked at the Cadillac Evening News and Leelanau Enterprise before joining the Lansing State Journal, where he worked as a general-assignment reporter and assistant city editor before he became outdoor editor. Dennis was preceded in death by his wife, Connie, his parents, and his brothers Lynn Knickerbocker and Steve Knickerbocker.
He will be lovingly remembered by his son, Aron Knickerbocker; his grandchildren, Charlie and Sara Knickerbocker; his brother, Jerry Knickerbocker; sisters-in-law, Arlene Knickerbocker and Debbie Riggs Norman; and many nieces, nephews, and their children.
Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 2:00 pm at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Chapel, 1730 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, Michigan. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery in Woodstock, Illinois, where Dennis’ wife is also buried.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (https://michiganunitedconservationclubs.z2systems.com/np/clients/michiganunitedconservationclubs/donation.jsp) or the Michigan State University College of Communication Arts and Sciences for the School of Journalism (https://comartsci.msu.edu/giving).
