Dennis Eugene Elkins

Born on April 25, 1962, in Denver, Colorado, Dennis was the son of James and Arleen Elkins. He grew up in Westminster, Colorado, graduated from Westminster High School, and earned a bachelor's degree in Youth Ministry from Colorado Christian University.

In 1986, Dennis married the love of his life, Karen. Together, they built a loving family and shared nearly 40 years of marriage. Dennis is survived by his wife, his mother, five siblings, three children, and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father.

Dennis enjoyed successful careers with Novartis Pharmaceuticals and Frontier Airlines. He was respected for his strong work ethic, professionalism, and enthusiastic spirit.

A lifelong aviation enthusiast, Dennis loved building and working on airplanes. He was nearly finished building his newest plane, a Rans S-21. He also enjoyed working on motorcycles and automobiles. He found joy in riding his Harley Davidson, and driving his vintage Corvette. He also loved music and had a special appreciation for perfect tone, rhythm, and timing.

Above all, Dennis cherished time with his family. His grandchildren were his pride and joy. He will be remembered for his warm smile, great laugh, kind heart, willingness to always lend a hand, and the genuine friendships he formed throughout his life.

Dennis found fulfillment in doing what he loved, flying the Zenith Zodiac 601 that he built himself more than 20 years ago. One of his longtime goals in life was to fly that plane to EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, WI, the world’s largest annual gathering of experimental and homebuilt airplanes. This year, he fulfilled that dream and proudly checked it off his bucket list. Tragically, he crashed on his return flight home.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Calvary Bible Church, 615 Evans Street, Erie, Colorado 80516. Family and friends are invited to gather in celebration of Dennis's life and the lasting impact he made on all who knew and loved him.