Dennis H. Schechinger

Dennis H. Schechinger

April 30, 1942 - October 18, 2013

Dennis H. Schechinger

April 30, 1942 - October 18, 2013

Obituary

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well used brings happy death.
Leonardo da Vinci

Dennis Henry Schechinger of Laguna Woods, CA, beloved son, father, grandfather, and brother, died on October 18th, 2013, at one A.M. He died after a long battle with mesothelioma. He was born on April 30, 1943 in Carroll, Iowa to Phyllis Mae Hocking and Leonard Otto Schechinger.

Dennis grew up in Carroll, Iowa and graduated from Kuemper High School in 1962, where he excelled in football. He married his high school sweetheart, Lois Loretta Kasperbauer on February 23rd, 1963. He moved to Lomita, California when he joined the Navy. After four and a half years in the Navy, he worked at Douglass Aerospace and went to college, graduating two years later. He had an enjoyable career with Xerox where he worked as a technical representative from 1968 until 1973. After “retiring” early, he began the business that made him a success, real estate. He continued to work on his investments properties until his death. He enjoyed his career of helping people, and had a great talent for fixing things.

He was a happy, friendly and generous man whose greatest pleasure was making others happy. When he bought a new computer he gave the old one to the gardener, because he had chatted with him and found out that the gardener could use it. He counted many of his tenants and workers as friends as he cared about each of them. He enjoyed trips with his family. He regularly took his family camping in Yosemite, fishing at Bass Lake and even tried to hike Mt. Whitney. Every other year he drove half way across the country to visit his family in Iowa. More recently he enjoyed music, dancing and golf. He regularly went to local jazz festivals and stayed all weekend. Once he was known to have danced with every girl in the bar when he went out. When he danced the polka your feet didn’t touch the ground as you flew around. Dennis had a passion for golf. After he started playing there was rarely a week that passed in which he didn’t play. He found a way to play golf even while on vacation. Dennis was a longtime member of the South Course Men’s club where he served as club president for 4 years, and 20 years as tournament chairman. Recently he expanded his vacations to include Alaska, New Orleans, Washington DC and China with Maria Chih Fong Chu.

Dennis is survived by his mother Phyllis Schechinger, daughters Lorie Jean Garland and Linda Sue Waldman, son Darrin James Schechinger, brothers Dean Schechinger, Duane Schechinger and Dale Schechinger, sisters Joyce McAllister, Jane Christiansen, Jo Schechinger, Jill Smith, Julie Accola, Janell Schechinger, Jean Scott, grand-daughters Michelle Waldman and Mutiara Schechinger, grandson Kevin Waldman and many other loved friends and family. Dennis was predeceased by his father, Leonard Schechinger (June 11th, 1984) and his sister Janice Schechinger (October 21st, 2000).

The ‘Celebration of Life’ will be held at O’Connor Mortuary on October 26th , 2013, and will begin at 4:00 pm. A memorial Scholarship has been set up in his honor. Donations can be sent to Cerritos College www.cerritos.edu/foundation click on the “Give Now” button, then click on “Other” and write “Schechinger Scholarship” to direct the donation to his scholarship, finally put in your donation information. (If you would prefer to write a check, make it out to “Cerritos College Foundation”. Please identify the scholarship on the memo line). Or give to your favorite charity. Floral donations can be sent to the O’Connor Mortuary (25301 Alicia Parkway Laguna Hills, CA 92653).

To die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly. Death of one’s own free choice, death at the proper time, with a clear head and with joyfulness, consummated in the midst of children and witnesses: so that an actual leave-taking is possible while he who is leaving is still there.
Friedrich Nietzsche

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17 responses to Dennis H. Schechinger

  1. Ron Walston says:

    Lorie,

    I was so sorry to receive the news from Mike Cahill that Dennis had passed. I do want to offer my deepest condolences to you are all of your family.

    I never had the honor of meeting you, but knew your dad very well. I played golf with him for years at Little Rec in Long Beach, and joined him a couple of times at the Laguna Woods course since I moved to Lake Forest myself.

    The things I remember most about your dad was his friendliness to everyone he met and his ability to keep everyone’s golf score in his foursome without a mistake, and with a pen not a pencil.

    He will be greatly missed by all that had the privilege of knowing him!

    I would love to go to his “Celebration of Life”, but unfortunately, Saturday is my only granddaughter’s 8th birthday party at about the same time, but I did want to contact you and share some good moments I spent with your dad.

    Again, I will always remember your dad, as I am also sure that many others will.

    Sincerely

    Ron Walston

  2. Jean Scott says:

    Lorie, Linda and Darrin, my thoughts go out to you durning this sad time. I will miss my big brother and his visits to the mid west. The last few years I have had the pleasure to go golfing with him and my husband. He had a huge heart on bigger personality. He had a passion for golf and mostly good food and company. Although I was the youngest and he was the oldest and he was starting his family before I was born he still made me feel very loved. We will miss him very much.

  3. Jill Smith says:

    Lorie, Linda, Darrin, I Iam so sorry for the loss of your father, and my brother Dennis. My deepest condolences go out to you and your families. My thoughts are with you today as you go to his ” Celebration of Life”.Dennis will be greatly missed by all. Jill Smith

  4. Julie Accola says:

    My favorite memory was of a wild weekend jazz festival with Denny a sister n mom. The food and music was great but the time alone with my brother walking n talking about everything and nothing. And to top it off was a beautiful sunrise Sunday service on the river.

  5. Jean Scott says:

    Jean Scott posted October 27 Miss you big brother.

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