David George Dennison, age 82, passed away peacefully on December 12, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. He was born February 15, 1943, in Caledonia, Minnesota, to Dean and Mary Dennison.

David was a gifted athlete and played every sport he could including basketball, football, baseball, and track. He graduated from Caledonia High School in 1961 and attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, for two years before transferring to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he graduated with a degree in philosophy and sociology in 1965. He then enrolled at Luther Seminary in St. Paul and graduated with his Master of Divinity in 1970. In the meantime, he met Julianne Sanda and the two were married in 1966. Together they had four children and worked as missionaries in Africa for several years together. Following their return to the states,  David became a pastor and lead several congregations in various states both in the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest. In 1990, David began working in global mission at the national office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Chicago. He married Karen Toppel in 1998 and together they enjoyed theatre, travel, tennis, and many fulfilling years. From 1998 until his retirement he took on the role of interim pastor at various Chicago-area churches.

David followed his strong calling to become a pastor and in doing so, he shared God’s love throughout this world by his compassion for others, his humble and generous spirit, and his commitment to service. After devoting his youth to playing sports, he looked for new ways to remain active as an adult and took up mountain climbing in the Pacific Northwest, culminating in his ascent of Mount Rainier in the late 1970s. In the 1980s, he rode his bike on at least seven RAGBRAIs across the state of Iowa, bringing his family along with him on several of them. Then he discovered golf and it became a true lifelong passion. He is remembered and cherished as a devoted, loving, and sentimental father who gave his children the gift of his time by sharing with them his love for classic literature, camping and hiking, remaining active through sports, and spending time outside in nature.

David truly lived in the moment and relished the small joys of each day. Every meal he ate was the greatest meal he ever had. In his later years, he loved long walks by Lake Michigan, weekly rounds of golf at his favorite course (also overlooking Lake Michigan), and tending to his small flower bed outside his condo. He remained busy in the years following retirement as he spent time with his grandchildren, took on roles such as condo board president, and was an active member and leader in his neighborhood church, Lakeview Lutheran. He firmly believed that everyone in this world is connected and your neighbor is the person next door as well as the person half a world away.

David made the most of his time on this earth, and leaves behind many family and friends who are better for knowing and loving him. David is survived by his wife, Karen, and her children, Jessica and Neil; his children, Nathan, Leah, Eve (Eric), and Anne (Amy); as well as his grandchildren, Calvin, Adrian, Natalie, Annabelle, Brendan, Colin, Hannah, and Ella, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Joyce, his brother, Bruce, and his sister, Deanna.

In keeping with David’s values and priorities, the family suggests and appreciates any memorial donations to ELCA Good Gifts (http://goodgifts.elca.org) or Lutheran World Relief (http://give.lwr.org ).  

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