Dennis Stovall

Dennis Stovall was a kind and compassionate person. Genuine as well as generous, he was quick to share his winning smile as well as his resources to anyone in need. A natural trivia buff, he watched Jeopardy and the Price is Right faithfully. He once was in the audience of the Price is Right but never had a chance to compete. Dennis loved to entertain his family with his wit as well as share his many special interests. Deeply loved, he will surely be missed by his many special friends and close family.

Dennis’ story began in the year 1959 which brought about many significant changes to our nation. Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union as our 49th and 50th States, the Boeing 707 Jet Airliner came into service, and Barbie Dolls made their debut! Popular movies of that same year included, Some Like it Hot and Ben Hur, while televisions were airing the classics, Bonanza, and The Twilight Zone. The fifties era continued its climb of rock n’ roll artists with the Beatles and the King himself, Elvis Presley. During this exciting time, Howard M and Doris “Dorie” (Geldhof) Stovall were pleased to announce the arrival of their newborn son, Dennis Craig on February 22, 1959, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Weighing over eleven pounds at birth, Dennis was ready to take charge of the world around him! Born the youngest of four children, his birth brought his parents great joy and happiness.

Growing up in the family home on Four Mile Road NE, he lived a typical childhood of the times. His caring spirit showed at a young age where he was known to play with his older siblings and would even volunteer to play the family dog when playing house with his sisters! The close-knit family enjoyed vacationing together over the years. They created many fond memories on trips to the Upper Peninsula and several trips to see his dad’s family down south. Many of these years were filled with time playing card games with his grandparents. Competitive in nature, he loved to play games as a young adolescent as well as bowling in the American Bowling Competitions across the country.

Dennis also had a daring and adventurous side to him which was credited with a few minor injuries and a fair share of mischief! He broke his leg snowmobiling and chipped his tooth while running around the pool at their house. As a teenager, he excelled in math classes and was involved in the school’s theater department. Not one to participate much in sports, he did, however, help as a student assistant on the high school basketball team. In addition to his studies, Dennis also balanced a job at McDonald’s where he was happy to bring home some meals for the family from time to time. He attended Orchard View School before later graduating from Forest Hills Northern High School where he was involved with the National Honors Society and an active member of the business club.

After high school, Dennis set off to pursue a degree from Central Michigan University. He continued his work with Monroe Center Furs. He also worked for Welcome Home for the Blind before settling in as a professor at Grand Valley State University. Well-liked by his colleagues and students alike, he remained at GVSU for a remarkable twenty years! He mostly taught accounting classes during his tenure there and also obtained his MBA! Dennis was very passionate about his work and took great pride in teaching his students the value of money and a hard work ethic. His diagnosis with Parkinson’s roughly ten years ago didn’t seem to slow him down much but after his knee surgery three years ago, he decided he could no longer teach. It was a tough decision.

In addition to his love of teaching and singing, Dennis also enjoyed many favorite pastimes. He loved to bowl and hit four perfect games over his years of playing on area leagues. Dennis dabbled in the sport of golf and shot two holes in one over the years. He also enjoyed taking annual shopping trips to Chicago with his nieces and nephews as well as visiting his brother. His family was especially important to him and he showed it by being present and abundantly generous over the years. When it came time to pay the bill at dinner, he almost always insisted on picking up the tab! He treated everyone special. Exceptionally close with his nieces, he also enjoyed riding bikes with them around town. For the past several years, he played cards nearly every night with his aunt and uncle as well as ate dinner with them. He particularly loved the game 5 Crowns. Dennis wasn’t one to cook much at all, in fact his own oven was filled with bags of chips and popcorn! Above all else, Dennis preferred the time he shared with the family he loved. Loving, caring, and generous beyond measure, Dennis enjoyed helping a family member or a friend in need. May his loved ones always cherish the warm memories he leaves behind and continue to share his legacy of sharing kindness toward others.

Dennis Stovall, age 60, of Grand Rapids, passed away February 8, 2020. He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Dorie Stovall. Dennis is survived by his brother, Howard (Audrey) Stovall; sisters, Debbie Sweeney and Pamela Stovall; uncle Alan (Vicki) Geldhof; nieces Emily (Tim) Sheard, Sarah (Ryan) Potter and Allison Stovall; grand nieces and nephews and several cousins. The service to remember and celebrate Dennis’ life will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 2 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield Ave NE where friends may visit with his family from 1 PM until the service and for a time immediately following the service. Dennis was a choir director through the years at Plainfield United Methodist Church, Aldersgate United Methodist Church and North Kent Presbyterian Church. All are invited to join the choir of friends that will sing at his service (rehearsal begins at 1 PM at the funeral home). For those who wish, memorial contributions are specified to the Parkinson’s Association however, following Dennis’ spirit of generosity, an donation to any organization in his honor is appreciated. To read more about Dennis’ life, to share a memory or photo, or to sign his guestbook, visit www.heritagelifestory.com.