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In memory of
Dennis DeSantis
August 13, 1945 - April 28, 2020
Aug 13, 1945 - Apr 28, 2020
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In lieu of flowers
In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to University of Pennsylvania: Lung Transplant Research Fund.
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Dennis's obituary
O love, as long as love you may.”
-- Franz Liszt, Liebesträume No. 3
My father, Dennis DeSantis, lived his life in music.
As a child he learned to play the upright piano in his lively family home, to the delight of his doting mother Kay, while his sister Eileen lent her voice to their imaginative productions. As a young man, he performed in his high school musical theatre and developed a love of language that would fuel his arguments in the courtroom, often quoting King Lear in his family law practice. Throughout his adult life, he developed deep and lasting friendships with fellow Liszt aficionados, and my memories as a child of he and my mother entertaining always ended with the doors to the music room being drawn closed so a new LP could go round.
My father met my mother, Linda, in what she thought was an empty lobby, as she twirled her way into his life, whistling a tune. Throughout their 42 year marriage it was always my mother's mission to find a way to get him to dance, and dance he would - after a Manhattan or two.
As we grew, my father made sure we understood how special his children were to him. He could often be found singing fight songs with my brother, Christopher, at Rutgers Football games - especially in the years when the Banks of the Old Raritan were quite empty of fans. For my sister, Claudia, he nurtured her love of ballet and would take her into Manhattan, humming along with the orchestra, on their special father/daughter dates. And for me, Laura, I lived for the times we would sit at the piano together singing Gershwin and Porter while I tried desperately to convince him that musical theatre had not died with them.
At the age of 72, my father received a second chance at life and was the recipient of a lung from a 21 year old man. We remain eternally grateful to the family who lost their son so that we could spend more time with our Dad. This gift was guarded and nurtured by the wonderful staff at the University of Pennsylvania hospital until the very end. We would not have had this time without them.
The first act of the opera that was my father’s life ended April 28, 2020. In his second act, his memory will live on as he’s survived by his siblings Eileen and Gary DeSantis; his three children, Claudia DeSantis, Christopher DeSantis and Laura DeSantis and my husband Matthew O’Connor; and his adoring wife, Linda DeSantis, who will forever whistle his tune.
There is so much more I could say about my father and the tremendous love his life created, but it wouldn’t do it justice. Instead, I think we should sing.
“There's no love song finer but how strange
The change from major to minor
Every time we say goodbye.”
-- George and Ira Gershwin “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”
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In lieu of flowers
In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to University of Pennsylvania: Lung Transplant Research Fund.
In lieu of flowers
In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to University of Pennsylvania: Lung Transplant Research Fund.
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Created with love by
Laura DeSantis.
