Dennis Lee Schalk

Dennis was born on their family farm in Elgin, Nebraska on January 21, 1943, and he was one of nine children. When the dust bowl blew through the region, the family lost the farm so with the younger four, they moved to Astoria, Oregon. Growing up in Astoria he attended the Star of the Sea Grade School and graduated from Astoria High School in 1962.

In high school he loved sports, playing basketball, football and baseball. His basketball team the “Fighting Fishermen” was recently inducted into the Astoria High School sports Hall of Fame. During this time he learned to play handball at the Astoria YMCA.

After high school, Dennis married Joan Mathre in 1963. During this period he worked on a Knappton tugboat which helped build the Young’s Bay Bridge at the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria. In an accident on the tug he lost 3 ½ fingers on his left hand. He always said that’s what helped him to be able to go to college and earn his K-12 education degree. The family moved to Portland in 1968, where he attended Portland State, and continued to play Handball.

Dennis and Joan had one son, Dane. They divorced when Dane was in middle school. Dennis loved do things with Dane. Together they enjoyed camping, snow skiing, basketball, playing pool, ping pong, handball and cards. Dennis also liked coaching Dane in sports. He took pride in helping his son where he could; including helping Dane start his own business. Dennis loved spending time with Dane and Dane’s friends. When Dane was in high school, he created the infamous basketball court: “Schalk Gardens” in their driveway near 192nd and Glisan. It was well-known to those in-the-know. Dennis enjoyed coaching the boys and they would challenge him to pickup games. Some of the boys came to think of Dennis as a second Dad.

Following graduation from Portland State, Dennis began his teaching career with the Sandy School District. He transferred to the Gresham-Barlow School District where he taught for 30 years. He continued to teach in the classroom for several years then he earned his Physical Education degree.

He continued to play handball while attending PSU. He won several prestigious tournaments, awards and NW doubles titles with John Ritchie and crew in the sport, this time without fingers on his left hand!

Teaching Physical Education was where he shined. He went the extra mile creating lunch time and after school teams, including the unicycle and juggling team, jump rope team, globetrotter basketball team and jogging team. He was able to take his juggling and unicycle team to the Junior Rose Parade for several years and performed for the Gresham District Office and at dance festivals. He stressed skills of keeping fit, sportsmanship, and the ability to reflect on how-can-I-do-that-better attitude.

Dennis also took in several close friends to live with him after they fell on hard times. He refused money for rent. It was their friendship he valued more.

He also loved to play and coach a mean game of pool, ping pong or cards.

Dennis first met Carol, his loving wife, back in 1979, when she took over teaching his class while he took a sabbatical from teaching to get his Physical Education degree. They enjoyed seeing each other at social events; however he wasn’t ready to settle down again.

Then in 1999, after many Friday happy hours, their mutual friend, Shirley and friends nudged them together, and the rest is history. While dating for their 18 years, they often stopped at Conway’s on 82nd and saw some great dancing going on! That started their next chapter: West Coast Swing lessons with Mike McClure and soon after joined the Portland Swing Dance Club where they become greatly involved.

Dennis and Carol were married in 2014. A few years, before he retired, he and Carol started West Coast Swing lessons. They loved it so much they joined the West Coast Swing Club. They danced their hearts away! Dennis was vice president of the club for several years and facilities director. He earned the West Coast Swing Club President’s award in 2002. Dennis and Carol volunteered and worked together at workshops, Bridgetown Swing, and the Portland Dance Festival, where they registered people, decorated many ballrooms and New Year’s Eve meals and dances. They loved attending the Seattle Easter Swing for many years. It was the one event they didn’t work at. They just loved dancing till 2 a.m., when the stars came out.

Then they decided to venture out to other styles of dances, like ballroom dancing. This is when he joined the Elks and Eagles, so they could dance the night away at those Lodges. This is also when they took over teaching ballroom dance classes, after their ballroom instructors, Dennis and Darlene George, at Mount Hood Community College moved on. Dennis was able to teach the most timid of dancers to dance and feel confident. He really knew how to break it down to simple terms. He also bought Wally and Carla’s dance floor from Karen. He used the dance floor for their own wedding, and several other weddings, retirement parties and dinner dances. He loved dancing under the stars. Dennis would also DJ for these events.

The dancing duo also joined the “Portland Heights Dance Club” a formal ballroom dance club for several years and moved on to the “Covington Dance Club” a more casual dance club, where he was the vice president for several years until his death.

Dennis also loved organizing dances every Wednesday, plus DJ the perfect blend of styles of danceable music at the Gresham Elks to help their Mt. Hood Community College students practice what they learned in class. Plus they had several graduation dinner dances at the Gresham Elks. Through the Mt. Hood Community College dance lessons he has brought several couples together, who have made true friends after taking lessons. Dennis considered everyone who danced as his dance family.

During his time with Gresham Elks Lodge #1805, Dennis was a Trustee and he also participated in many events including the “Dancing with the Elks” competition which gave the Lodge many dollars for the Lodge charities and in programs for the Veterans, Memorial Service, Entertainment committee and the Holiday Food Baskets. Of very special interest is the fact that he also personally sponsored 23 members!

In the past few years Dennis and Carol enjoyed a dance cruise to the Puerto Rico/ Bahama area. On a separate trip they visited Lake Havasu, Arizona where they enjoyed two different Valentine’s Day dinner dances and went kayaking for the first time. They also traveled to the Mt. Rainer area for more dancing and hiking.

Travel plans were halted due to concerns about COVID-19. During COVID, he helped babysit two of his grandchildren and taught Evie, age 6, how to read and Jon Henry, age 2-1/2, to start recognizing his ABC’s. He also loved watching the two grandchildren ride their bikes freely around his property, roast hotdogs, and take mud baths and eat s’mores under the stars.

Dennis was adored, admired and loved by everyone he met. He always had an open warm heart to offer and a helping hand. He was also a great listener and problem solver. He always looked at both sides and never passed judgment even if he didn’t agree with you. He agreed to disagree and move on with life. He always looked at the positive side. He was happy to have had such a fantastic life since he was able to meet all of you reading this.

Dennis was concerned about Covid-19, and the family will have a celebration of life on his one year anniversary of his death around September 14th, 2021. Details are to be arranged.

Dennis is survived by his dancing partner forever, and beloved wife, Carol; seven siblings: Lucretia (Pat) Luettel; Sally Beckman; Norma Kelley; Maxine Miller; James Schalk; Barbara Gustafson and David Schalk, his son, Dane Schalk (Kari), six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Donations in Dennis’ memory may be made to Astoria high school sports, Meals on Wheels or the American Heart Association