Dennis Arthur Black

Dennis Arthur Black passed away on Thursday, June 4th, 2026. He was born on July 23rd, 1959, in Hot Springs National Park to Franklin R. and Kathleen O. Black. His family moved to Houston, Texas, where his father worked as a Test Engineer at NASA building and maintaining flight simulators. As a young boy he enjoyed scouting, superhero comic books, swimming at the neighborhood pool, and fishing with his family. His love of music began with playing sax in his grade school band and he soon thereafter taught himself the guitar. While attending Milby High School, he played saxophone in the Marching & Jazz Band, performing at football games and marching in Houston's Thanksgiving Day Parade. After graduating in 1977, he attended San Jacinto College and worked weekends as a DJ at KFMK-FM and KGOL-FM.

As a young man, he enlisted in the Navy; a transformative time that gifted him with structure and the opportunity to see the world. Deployment on the U.S.S. Saratoga was one of the happiest periods of his life. He served for 14 years, working as a Public Affairs Officer, and was frequently commended for the quality and dedication of his work. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he spent nearly 20 years working in home building as a Regional Quality Manager in Charleston, South Carolina.

Dennis was a man of many layers. To those who knew him casually they may have found him quiet, stern, unfailingly polite, and professional. Those who knew him well discovered his wit, humor, warmth, charm, and extravagant generosity. He loved fine cooking, researching techniques, and insisting on the highest quality ingredients and tools. In the kitchen, he was a consummate craftsman. He always sharpened and balanced his kitchen knives right before flinging a towel over his shoulder and setting to work on the best meal you'd ever tasted. He loved music, so long as it was created before 1990, football, NASCAR, fishing, and golf. He was also a prolific grower of vegetables, and often said that in another life he would have loved to have been a farmer.

Dennis had two daughters, Rachel and Sarah, whom he called the reason for his existence. Whenever asked what gift he would like for his birthday or Christmas, his answer without fail was, "the love and adoration of my children." Everything that he had the power to give, he gave to them. He was a private man who kept to himself, but those whom he loved, he loved deeply.

Dennis is preceded in death by: his parents, sister Lisa L. Black, and granddaughter Audrey Bultmann. He is survived by: his children Rachel & Craig Bultmann and Sarah & Jon Sadler of Tallahassee, FL., his grandchildren Emily & Olivia Bultmann and Charles & Sylvie Sadler, and his sister Frankie Black of Hot Springs National Park.