Dennis S. Holtgrave

Dennis Stanley Holtgrave of Belleville, Illinois, died on October 26, 2010. He was 70 years old. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 45 years, Phyllis (Hagelstein); daughter, Jodie Schein; son, Peter; brother, Don; three grandchildren, Mike, Robin, and Elias; and many close friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Elsie (Schrage) Holtgrave; half-brother, Henry (Hank) Holtgrave; and his half-sister, Delores Holtgrave.

In his early years, Dennis and his brother, Don, helped run the family farm and feed store in Breese, where he was born. After graduating from Aviston High School in 1958, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving on the USS Shangri-La and participated in the naval blockade during the Cuban Missile Crises in 1962.

After serving in the Navy, Dennis met his wife, Phyllis Hagelstein, and they married in 1965. He worked as a civilian communications specialist at Scott Air Force Base for over 30 years, traveling often to Washington, D.C., and Munich, Germany, for the U.S. Government.

A volunteer fireman with the Signal Hill Fire Department, Dennis was also an active member of his parish and helped his children move innumerable times. An avid outdoorsman, dog lover, country music enthusiast, and chocolate cake connoisseur, Dennis enjoyed retirement as a handyman, world traveler, and loving and devoted family man. He lived in Belleville for most of his life.

His memory lives on in those fortunate to know and love him.

Visitation will take place on Friday, October 29, 2010 from 4:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Valhalla Gardens of Memory, 3412 Frank Scott Parkway West, Belleville, IL, 618-233-3110. Funeral services will be held at St. Mary’s Church, 1706 West Main Street, Belleville, IL, on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. followed by a burial at Valhalla Gardens Cemetery in Belleville.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC Box 3624, Durham, NC 27710.

Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois