Please use this space to share memories, quotes, photos, and stories about Denny, along with words of care and comfort to his family.
NOTE: The contribution portion of this website has been closed (Thank you to those who have donated in Denny's honor! $2,000 was raised already!) However, additional... see morePlease use this space to share memories, quotes, photos, and stories about Denny, along with words of care and comfort to his family.
NOTE: The contribution portion of this website has been closed (Thank you to those who have donated in Denny's honor! $2,000 was raised already!) However, additional contributions to the scholarship fund can be sent directly to Madonna Neely at 1161 First Ave. S. Okanogan, WA 98840. Thank you in advance for joining us in honoring Denny's memory this way.
OBITUARY
From his son, Tyler..."I want to take time to say thank you for all of the visits, messages, phone calls, and condolences for dad. They are helpful, appreciated, and provide us with an enormous amount of beauty to reflect on in a positive way despite this indescribably painful loss. To know dad was an opportunity to witness a perfect example of love, humility, selflessness, and altruism. He was true to his word, honest, and always took... see moreFrom his son, Tyler...
"I want to take time to say thank you for all of the visits, messages, phone calls, and condolences for dad. They are helpful, appreciated, and provide us with an enormous amount of beauty to reflect on in a positive way despite this indescribably painful loss.
To know dad was an opportunity to witness a perfect example of love, humility, selflessness, and altruism. He was true to his word, honest, and always took the opportunity to make people feel welcome and valued. Dad was always genuine and had the unbelievable ability to advocate for the greater good of everyone. His intentions were always in the hopes of everyone realizing their potential to be good, and do good. He was tough and gritty, yet not afraid of vulnerability; he was a man in the truest sense. What a blessing to our family to have the honor of calling dad our dad, husband, grandfather, uncle, brother in law, father in law, Coach, and friend.
Thank you, Dad, for being the greatest example of love I could ever ask for, for loving your family unconditionally at all times, and for blessing us all with the totality of your presence. You are the best, my best friend, my hero. I love you."
Oh Denny, why does life have to be so unfair at times? You will be missed more than you know. It is so unfair that you were taken from your family and friends way before your time. You have touched so many lives!! Thank you for being such a positive... moreOh Denny, why does life have to be so unfair at times? You will be missed more than you know. It is so unfair that you were taken from your family and friends way before your time. You have touched so many lives!! Thank you for being such a positive influence in my life. You and Mud have always been there for my sis and I and I can truly call you family. There are so many wonderful memories, more than I can list....
I remember when I heard you were going to teach 6th grade and you got stuck with my class to start. That takes a brave soul haha. You were so wonderful and I loved all the life lessons as well as your love for History. Camp Progress was so much fun too! I never got homesick because you were there as a substitute for my Pops.
So many childhood memories...parties, family gatherings with the Neely's and Tugaw's, the Conconully cabin....I absolutely adored your Mom, Wyoma!
My most recent favorites are having Jager shots with you at Kater's wedding and sneaking a smoke from my mother and shooting the breeze with you and my Dad. Also how much you enjoyed the Mai Tai's I made for Mom's 60th Birthday. I think we both polished off most of that jug. :)
You were such a kind soul with a wonderful personality! This has definitely rubbed off on your kids. They are such wonderful people with you as their role model and Dad. I love hearing the stories of how you hooked up Dad and Mom when you and my Dad played baseball together all those years ago. I just got to see those pictures again of you two in your yellow and green uniforms with the shaggy hair dos. So funny!
My last wonderful memory of you was when all of you (Mud, Dad and Mom) were heading to Vegas to celebrate your 40th Anniversary. Thank goodness I got to be at the Jackson's to wish you all safe travels as they took you guys to the airport! You were cracking me up because you had the smallest suitcase and your "carry-on" was your coffeepot! You were so excited for Long Islands and casino time. You told me "never drink the free coffee, it's horrible!" Thanks for the advice! I got to give you a big hug and say good bye. I will never forget this moment.
Thank you so much for all the advice growing up, including sports talk as well as all the support over the years. I am a better person because of people like you in my life!
Big hugs and thinking of Madonna, Kate, Tyler and family. I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. This is truly heartbreaking, love you all! less
Madonna, we have been thinking so much about you and your family and so sorry for your loss. You were so fortunate to have Denny in your lives and I know he will live with you for ever. Our prayers will be with you, Kevin & Lynn Love
Denny part of all us growing up in Okanogan back in the day. Later in life there was Madonna and the kids meshing with those of us that were still here. This community is in a better place, we are better people by and large for knowing him, and he will be missed.
Denny was the best. His love for Madonna, his family, friends and life was obvious. What a gift when our children became part of Denny's world as 6th graders and after, with football. To have a teacher and coach as caring as Denny is one of the best... moreDenny was the best. His love for Madonna, his family, friends and life was obvious. What a gift when our children became part of Denny's world as 6th graders and after, with football. To have a teacher and coach as caring as Denny is one of the best things to happen to our family.
Denny must have been part fish, swimming lap after lap at the Okanogan pool. And he must have had super-power eyes, swimming through that chlorine without any goggles! I will so miss summer mornings with Denny - starting each day with the kindest of greetings from Denny. And ending these mornings commiserating about hips and politics. No doubt, Denny was the best.
Our thoughts to Madonna and his family. Thank you for sharing him with us. less
Knowing Denny goes back to Dale’s neighborhood growing up with Wyoma patching up all of the boys and their wounds after BB gun fights and whatever else boys do! I remember him from church and the friendship of my parents and his. My Mom and Wyoma were... moreKnowing Denny goes back to Dale’s neighborhood growing up with Wyoma patching up all of the boys and their wounds after BB gun fights and whatever else boys do! I remember him from church and the friendship of my parents and his. My Mom and Wyoma were always on the phone talking about the latest happenings, (I won’t say gossip). True friendship came when Madonna and I started working together. She was “going out” with Denny and he thought he would try out his “Match Making” skills and set Dale & I up for a date! They were on the same men’s softball team, Kruse Electric. At a game Denny decided to point me out to Dale even after Madonna had told hm not to point! Dale and I will celebrate our “40” years of marriage in March, thanks to Denny! We’ve had lots of fun times with the Neely’s including Las Vegas ( Denny loves his slot machines) and Oregon vacations, many BBQ’s even being included in their family gatherings! Denny loved his family, calling his wife “Doll”, having fun at Kate & Tyler’s weddings with all of their friends and especially his grandson whom he talked about all of the time! Denny was s great Family Man, Friend, Teacher, Coach and person that could carry on a conversation with anyone! He will be greatly missed! We will cherish all of the fun memories & our hearts go out to Madonna and all of the family! In Love & Friendship, Dale & Debbie Tugaw less
Thinking about uncle Denny, and looking back I can’t even begin to put into words all the ways he had a great impact on my life. Not only can I reflect on all the family gathers and memories made as my uncle but I also get to remember him as a teacher... moreThinking about uncle Denny, and looking back I can’t even begin to put into words all the ways he had a great impact on my life. Not only can I reflect on all the family gathers and memories made as my uncle but I also get to remember him as a teacher and a coach! From running lines in basketball practice to the pat on the back for a game well played. Teaching us how to slide home in the rain.... and pushing us to strive to be the best we could in softball. If you struggled in class, well he was right there to help you to succeed. And for every memory that I get to look back on, I am thankful!
Uncle Denny, you will forever be remembered and your memory cherished! less
Oh Denny, the gifts you have given so many people...
If it wasn’t for you Denny “the matchmaker,” I don’t know if my parents, Dale and Debbie Tugaw, would have ever met. (I’ll have my mom tell the story in a different post.) So I’d like to... moreOh Denny, the gifts you have given so many people...
If it wasn’t for you Denny “the matchmaker,” I don’t know if my parents, Dale and Debbie Tugaw, would have ever met. (I’ll have my mom tell the story in a different post.) So I’d like to thank you Denny for introducing them so Hillary and I could be here today. I’d also like to thank you for giving me another gift, my best friend Kate. I’m pretty sure you thought of her as the perfect daughter as I think of her as a perfect friend, so I can never thank you enough. We always thought of you as our second family and oh how you will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. Thank you for giving us the gift of knowing such a wonderful guy! less
Thinking about Uncle Denny... It’s hard to express the grief I’m feeling. Inexpressible actually. Many of you know that my family is a close one. Uncle Denny sat in the center of that along with my other aunts and uncles. Growing up I was terrified... moreThinking about Uncle Denny... It’s hard to express the grief I’m feeling. Inexpressible actually. Many of you know that my family is a close one. Uncle Denny sat in the center of that along with my other aunts and uncles. Growing up I was terrified of Uncle Denny. Uncle Denny was a mountain of a man. Like, I would prefer to cross the street if I saw him coming my way kind of thing. I remember refusing to stay the night at my cousin Tyler’s house because I was so scared. As a child, everything gets magnified. Summers seemed infinite, Christmases an eternity away, the ball pit at Chunky Cheese 20,000 leagues deep. Uncle Denny was no exception. As far as I was concerned, the Giant at the top of Jacks beanstalk was probably Uncle Denny’s side gig. But I grew older. And as is the case, the mythical adults who mark our childhood begin to become mortals. This carries us in every direction depending on who the myth-turned-mortal actually is in real life. Sometimes indifference sets in, sometimes disillusionment, sometimes something altogether unexpected. For me Uncle Denny became a real friend. Far from someone to be feared he became someone I anticipated being with. I’ll never forget my cousin’s bachelor party and leaning against the fence that surrounds our family cabin in Conconully, sipping a Coors Light and smoking a menthol cigarette I bummed from him and just talking about life. It was the kind of conversation that wasn’t about the conversation, not about the random topic we landed on. It was one of those moments that was about being together, feeling the same sun rays on our shoulders, breathing the same air and knowing we were family. And I confess that I did not see that moment as clearly as I do now. And so many other moments like this in our lives go somewhat unnoticed until we have the hindsight. Sort of like the myth-turned-mortal in reverse. I am inexpressibly grateful for every one of those moments. I love you Uncle Denny. less
Uncle Denny always made family gatherings more fun. It never failed that when I arrived, he made it a point to greet me every time and ask how I was doing. He was that jolly, welcoming presence, and family gatherings simply won't be the same without him.
I only met coach Neely 3 times; even from the opposite sidelines I received life lessons from Coach Neely that continue to make me the man I am today. For that I am great full.
From all the folks from Kalama, R.I.P. coach and Godspeed.
Denny was my father-in-law, but I called him dad. I remember Denny and Madonna visiting for Christmas and feeling so lucky to observe the sweet moments that they shared and I will always admire the love and respect they had for one another. The... moreDenny was my father-in-law, but I called him dad. I remember Denny and Madonna visiting for Christmas and feeling so lucky to observe the sweet moments that they shared and I will always admire the love and respect they had for one another. The tenderness and the way that Tyler loves me makes so much sense as I reflect on my time with Denny.
The third time I met him he was coming out of his second hip replacement surgery. Den was pretttty loopy and he looked right at me and said, “hey there kid, you wanna steal a boat?” I did. And I would have. Unfortunately, when he sobered up, our plans were less ambitious.
Denny and I would often talk about fishing and he’d toss a humble brag to me about the fish he was catching down at the net pins. There was a 100% chance he would say, “you know, I hear they’re catching big blue gill up at Leader Lake,” while he showed me with his hands how big he heard they were, raised his eye brows and nodded his head. I knew this meant that we should get up there and give it a go. We never made it to Leader Lake in a stolen boat. Denny loved his family and friends and you always knew it. There was never a doubt.
Do the things you think you’ll have time to do later with the people you think will be around forever.
Love you forever Denny. Dad. less
The State Championship was on the line, again, with the same foe or more aptly nemesis. Kalama was spirited, confident, and were bloodthirsty; howling, screaming, taunting,even threatening. Their names were called and onto the field they ran one at a... moreThe State Championship was on the line, again, with the same foe or more aptly nemesis. Kalama was spirited, confident, and were bloodthirsty; howling, screaming, taunting,even threatening. Their names were called and onto the field they ran one at a time pounding chests both literally and figuratively. Standing facing the to be announced opponent our Dawgs, they listed side to side, jumped to and thro, prepared for the battle to come. Then they announced Den. He seemed put out, then casually walked out just as the Bulldogs had done. Eerily without any seeming concern. It reminded me of that scene in Goodfellas when the bikers came to tear up their bar. “Now yous can’t leave.” less
Mr. Neely was my 6th grade teacher and he taught me more in that one year than I realized at the time. He pushed me to work harder than I ever had and I can never thank him enough for that support! Mr. Neely will be greatly missed!
I knew this man for a short time through Tyler and ACH football. He use to come hangout with our coaching staff and came to multiple games. He always showed support pride for us as a team and a coaching staff. The look on his face, I knew he was a true... moreI knew this man for a short time through Tyler and ACH football. He use to come hangout with our coaching staff and came to multiple games. He always showed support pride for us as a team and a coaching staff. The look on his face, I knew he was a true fan of the game, the staff, and players. Tyler would constantly grace us with amazing, and yes a large amount of funny stories of his dad. Whether it was football related or in life itself. For the time I knew him I considered him a friend and great man. The world will truly miss MR Neely. His smile and that smirk always brought a smile to my day. God Bless Dennis and his Family. You will be missed my friend!
Casey Parrish less