Dennis Gary Karlan

Dennis Karlan passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, September 26 after battling metastatic pancreatic cancer. His loving wife of 47 years, Helen, his devoted daughters, Allison, Micki, and Jackie, son-in-law Jamie, and extended family Leslie and Kristl Linenschmidt were by his side.

A man known for his integrity, genuine heart for others, and avid love for golf, Dennis was born in Cleveland, Ohio on June 27, 1945. He attended Kent State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science with a focus in aerospace engineering. After graduation, Dennis accepted a job at LTV Aerospace in the DFW area in 1969. In the spring of 1971, he went to work for Zales Corporation. This was the start of his successful career in the jewelry industry and a forerunner for his jewelry manufacturing company, Karlan International, which he owned and operated with Helen for 30 years.

On December 26, 1970, while visiting his parents in Cleveland, Dennis was supposed to attend a hockey game that evening. However, he couldn’t get a ticket to sit next to his buddy at the game. He remembered his mother gave him a telephone number for a Helen Marks 5 years back that she desperately wanted him to meet. Since Dennis had time to kill before he would meet his friends at the Grog Shop, a local bar, he found Helen’s number and called her up to ask her out for a cup of coffee: a blind date. At that time, Helen was recovering from pneumonia, and to be polite she asked Dennis to meet her at her brother Stan and sister-in-law Carole’s house. Once he arrived at their house, Dennis stayed around for a while and had conversations with her brother while building a train set; he hardly spent any time with Helen. When it was time to meet his friends for a drink, Dennis asked Helen if she would like to join him. After about 40 minutes at the bar, Dennis turned to Helen and asked her to marry him. She answered, “Well I don’t know you.” Dennis said, “You’ve got one week to find out,” as he was leaving for Dallas in that time. Helen accepted his proposal and the rest is history. Dennis expressed that the moment at the Grog Shop was like the song from the movie South Pacific, “Some Enchanted Evening.”

Dennis and Helen shared a love story like no one else. Their love for each other helped them persevere through the tough times and flourish through the joyous times. During their 47 years of marriage, Dennis was a faithful husband, partner in business, and best friend to Helen. They were soul mates. Dennis loved Helen to the moon and back. Helen loved Dennis more than anything else. Together they were unstoppable. Dennis took Helen on memorable trips all over the world, including adventures in South America, Africa, Eastern and Western Europe. During the end of last April and beginning of May, they took their last trip. Dennis and Helen concluded their memorable trip with a week-long stay in Paris, a place they always wanted to explore together.

Not only was Dennis an amazing husband, he was also a proud and supportive father to three daughters, two sons-in-law, six grandchildren, and a grand-puppy. Dennis cherished his time with his grandchildren, grand-puppy, daughters, and sons-in-law. Some of his favorite things to do were dancing, teaching golf, having great conversations, sharing about life and how to live it, laughing together, watching movies, and receiving back scratches and massages. His daughters looked to him as their role model in life. He taught them to respect others, do what is right, and understand the value of hard work. Dennis’s daughters loved and respected their father beyond what words can articulate.

Respected and admired by countless friends and family, Dennis knew he was a lucky man. In fact, on his 73rd birthday on June 27, he said,“I am damn lucky.”He was a remarkable husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, and friend to all who were blessed to know him. He would be proud to know that his beautiful legacy will continue to thrive through the work of his family and friends. He wanted people to remember him in a positive way and know that he lived life to its fullest. Throughout these past four months, Dennis was calm, courageous, surrounded by so much love from family and friends, and kept his sense of humor until the very end. He had no regrets in his extraordinary 73 years of life.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Helen Marks Karlan; children Allison (Shelby) Kaplan, Micki (Jamie) Friedman, Jackie Altman; grandchildren Rose and Naomi Altman, Lilah, Tamra, Samantha, and Adam Kaplan; sisters-in law Carole Marks and Helen Marks; brother-in-law Lloyd Marks; extended family Leslie and Kristl Linenschmidt; and many nephews and nieces, all of whom were blessed to have a joyful and meaningful relationship with him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Esther and Julius Karlan. Dennis will forever be remembered for many profound reasons and has left a meaningful legacy to be proud of. He will be missed beyond measure.