Robert was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sept. 20, 1917, to the late Louis D. Dennis, an attorney, and Maude Shade, housewife.
He attended Coe College and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1939, with a degree in business.
He joined the U.S. Army Corps in 1940 and was assigned to the U.S. Ferry Command, later known as the Air Transport Command (ATC). After ferrying aircraft to Egypt, India, China and England, he was assigned to the South West Pacific Wing of the ATC as wing navigation and briefing officer. He served in General MacArthur’s Transport Division on a wing of C-47’s and C-54’s headquartered first in Brisbane, Australia and then in New Guinea, Manila and finally Okinawa, Japan. The wing flew the first Air Born troops into Tokyo after the Japanese surrendered to secure the area and rescue prisoners.
Captain Dennis was discharged in early 1946, but remained in the Air Force Reserves until 1962, attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel.
In civilian life he was a publisher’s representative for the American Weekly and Sunset Magazine. He joined the Dan B. Minor Advertising Agency and then McCann Erikson as an account executive. Before retiring in 1963 to ranching and real estate. He was general manager of Butay Products and then president of Kenu Products.
In retirement he raised racing quarter horses, and alfalfa. He was a member of the Rancheros Vistadores and the Kern County Mounted Sheriffs Posse.
In real estate brokerage he was known as ‘The Flying Broker’ and handled such projects as the Honda Research Division Cantil Test Track purchase, the Kinsey Estate sale of the Quail Lake facility and the Brandise Estate Ranch in Chatsworth.
He is survived by his wonderful wife, Madge of 50 years; children, Sidney Spencer of Patagonia, Ariz; Robert M. Dennis of Rosamond; Loxi L. Engelhardt of Lancaster; Walter Lohan of Eugene, Ore.; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
All who knew Robert D. Dennis will remember him for the contributions he made to their lives and will miss his friendly good nature, humor energy and enthusiasm he exhibited during every day of his life.
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