Dennis passed away peacefully on 17 October 2026. Beloved husband of June for 67 years, father of Susan and Colin, and grandfather of Will and Phoebe. Loyal brother of the late Eric and Brenda, and uncle to his nieces and nephews.
Raised in Gillingham, Dennis trained as an electrician, completed his National Service in the RAF and joined BP’s Isle of Grain refinery, where he progressed from electrician to Materials Engineer, including a year in Libya. He later worked at GEC Avionics until retiring in 1994.
Aside from his family, running was his lifelong passion. He joined City of Rochester Athletic Club in 1949, aged sixteen, and raced for over three decades, representing Kent at cross-country and road running, and in 1983, in his fifties, ran his first and last London Marathon in under three hours.
He gave as much to the sport off the track: Chairman, Treasurer, President and Life Member of his club, Secretary of the Kent Track and Field League and of the County Track Championships at Crystal Palace, a qualified coach and track and field judge, and President of the Kent County Athletic Association in 1989 and of the merged association in 1994. Athletes across Kent benefited from his coaching, organising and officiating at cross-country and athletics events. He was also recognised for his many years as a volunteer with Kent Police’s Neighbourhood Watch team.
Modest and generous with his time, Dennis lived life to the full and will be missed enormously by his family, friends and all who knew him.
Family flowers only please and donations, if desired, to Cancer Research UK via the link below
Service
DATE AND TIME
Thursday 5th November 2026, 10:30am
ADDRESS
Medway Crematorium, Robin Hood Lane, Blue Bell Hill, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9QU
Committal
DATE AND TIME
Thursday 5th November 2026, 11:00am
ADDRESS
Medway Crematorium, Robin Hood Lane, Blue Bell Hill, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9QU
Reception
DATE AND TIME
Thursday 5th November 2026, 12:00pm
ADDRESS
Royal Crown, 2 High Street, Rochester, ME1 1PT
If arrangements change
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