I met Dennis when him and his large family were living on Carol Dr.  He worked at the Railroad, Amtrak.  All the neighborhood kids knew the Zook's.  That's where most of us played.  He would get home from work and hand out candy to his brood and us straglers.  Very nice and funny man.  I liked him then!  When us kids began doing our own thing, I didn't see Dennis very often.  I missed him.  I thought about him many times over the years.

I moved to Franklin in "95" and everywhere I went I seen him!  It was great.  Not up until a few years ago, did we really become close friends.  Him and my husband, Mark Rogers worked together at the Beechgrove Amtrak for 36 years.  We all got along and Dennis was my buddy.  We talked about our hopes, dreams, fears and discovering how very much alike we were.  I could tell him anything and him - me.  SAFETY & Respect.  He never let me down.  His word was Iron.  He said he would do or be someplace, he was there.  He was funny.  Oh how he made me laugh!  We giggled together like lil' school girls!  He would turn beet red with his self described bawkwardness, as he was telling a naughty joke! Last week...met him at Walmart. He was on the scooter and we talked just wandering around the store for almost two hours.  He was pooped.  Exhausted, hopeful and full of love of life.

I was granted that last HUG, Kiss on cheeks and sincere 'I Love You"'s   I will never have another friend like Dennis.  Now I really know the mld was broken, after him!

Mark and I are sure going to miss him.  Our love for Dennis now goes to his family & other friends.  He would want us all to support eachother and not have a depressing get together, but a celebration of his life.  For a small statured man, he had More energy and life in him than a gaggle of Jack Russel puppies.  With our love....

 Billie Lovin-Rogers & Mark J. Rogers