Dennis Frank O’Block passed away peacefully in his home in Pensacola, Florida at the age of 83. He was surrounded by his loving family in his final days and moments.
Dennis was born to Charles and Genevieve Anderson O’Block in Jamestown, NY. He was blessed with an incredible younger sister whom he loved dearly, Kathleen Carlson, who lives in Jamestown, NY with her husband Reggie.
His children were his pride and joy and nothing was more important to him than family. He was the loving father to four children and the grandfather to five grandchildren. As a father, he could be found bungee jumping with his son Buckley, raging in the mosh pit at a NIN concert with his son Kyle, exploring a small town in Sicily with his daughter Stephany, and rooting on the Seahawks from the 50-yard line with his daughter Stacia.
He was adventurous, bold, and determined, which led him to one of his proudest accomplishments of attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in June 1964 and was commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps. Through his grit and unrelenting determination, he was able to see his childhood dream of being a fighter pilot become a reality. He flew 155 combat missions in Vietnam in F-4 Phantoms from 1967-1968 and his love for flying continued beyond his military career when he became a pilot for Continental Airlines for 14 years. Besides his love for flying, he was also a man of many ideas. This led to a multitude of business ventures, including creating his successful company Workforce Technologies, Inc. with his business partner.
To have known Dennis was to know a man with many stories. Whether he was regaling you with tales of being shot in World War II (while cleverly omitting the part where he was only four years old and it happened in his hometown of Jamestown, not on the front lines in Germany) or bragging about that time he beat his eldest son Buckley in a triathlon at the ripe old age of 51, he always had an interesting story to share. His passion and zest for life led him to squeeze a lot of lives into this one life of his and he had the stories to prove it.
Having spent over 25 years living on Vashon and raising three of his children here, the island always felt like home. Family and friends are invited to attend the burial at Vashon Cemetery Saturday, July 9, 2022, at 1:30, which will be followed by a service with refreshments at Vashon Presbyterian Church.
To send condolences or to share a favorite story, please visit the funeral home website Island Funeral Services at https://www.islandfuneral.com/
