Obituary for Dennis (Denny) B. Hannem
Due to the increasing cases of Covid-19, the family is RESCHEDULING Denny Hannem's
Celebration of Life, to June 4, 2022. The event will be held at Point Defiance Park in
Tacoma at the Fort Nisqually Picnic Shelter from 1-4pm. Please visit calvarytacoma.com/
book of memories for full obituary, tributes and other details.
Denny, 77 was a part of many communities, he will be greatly missed.
Survived by sister Arlene, children Jeff & Lori, 4 grandchildren, and great-grand son.
Celebration of life January 23, 1-4 pm, at Joeseppi’s Italian Ristorante, Tacoma.
In memory, donate to NW Harvest.
Dennis (Denny) Hannem was born July 27, 1944, to Helene and Ben Hannem in Edgewood, Washington. He attended St. Ann Catholic School until 9th grade, then Lincoln High and then Mount Tahoma where he was in the first graduating class in 1962. He enlisted into the Air Force in 1963 and married Sherrie Stone. They were stationed in Germany where they had their first child Jeffrey. He was also stationed in Mississippi and Texas, finally returning to Tacoma. After his military service, and while working, he enrolled in the University of Washington where he received his BA in Political Science, and their second child was born, Lorrine.
Denny began his civilian work at the Postal Service which would become his lifelong career. He began as a clerk, at station A on 37th St in Tacoma. It was a good place for him, due to his extraverted attitude and how well he worked with the public. He was promoted to the USPS EAP {Employee Assistance Program} in Seattle, where he would take his experience with alcoholism and help others who suffered with the disease. Denny had proudly celebrated 44 years of sobriety with Alcoholics Anonymous in December 2020. He worked in Seattle for 6 years, then was offered a spot as a Postmaster in Sylvana, Washington, where he once again loved and was loved by many of his postal customers. Several years later early retirement was offered, and he took it.
Denny was an avid reader of many topics. Science Fiction was a large part of his library, and his grandson, Matthew, enjoyed it as well; they would spend hours together talking about these fantasy worlds.
If you knew Denny, then you knew his love of music was an integral part of who he was. Denny’s joy of music started when he played the violin in school. This love helped develop his interests in the fine arts which included theatre, ballet, opera, orchestra, and all genres of music. Jazz became one of his passions. On a family vacation to Port Townsend, he met Dee Dee Rainbow, the Rainbow Lady of Jazz and who was well-known throughout the Pacific Northwest. She would become one of his best friends as they went to many jazz events, including 30 years of attending the Monterey Jazz Festival. Denny’s love of jazz rubbed off on his grandson, Spencer, who is completing his master’s degree in Trumpet Performing as well as performing professionally.
Denny did a deep dive into reading and exploring spiritual truths and religious studies. This included Sufism, which he embraced as an important part of his spiritual practices. The Sufi community, where he was known as Sartaj, was a beloved extended family for him. Denny was a spiritual truth seeker. He encouraged people to be open to others without judgement. He was a strong minded, touch love, and compassionate man that could express his beliefs, feelings, and convictions with all the passion of a fire and brimstone preacher! I think we all could agree on that. Denny would want his life celebrated as one well-lived and one well-loved. He will continue to live in the hearts and minds of the lives that he touched and inspired though his way of giving back to the world.
Denny, we loved you for who you were.
Celebration of Life, to June 4, 2022. The event will be held at Point Defiance Park in
Tacoma at the Fort Nisqually Picnic Shelter from 1-4pm. Please visit calvarytacoma.com/
book of memories for full obituary, tributes and other details.
Denny, 77 was a part of many communities, he will be greatly missed.
Survived by sister Arlene, children Jeff & Lori, 4 grandchildren, and great-grand son.
Celebration of life January 23, 1-4 pm, at Joeseppi’s Italian Ristorante, Tacoma.
In memory, donate to NW Harvest.
Dennis (Denny) Hannem was born July 27, 1944, to Helene and Ben Hannem in Edgewood, Washington. He attended St. Ann Catholic School until 9th grade, then Lincoln High and then Mount Tahoma where he was in the first graduating class in 1962. He enlisted into the Air Force in 1963 and married Sherrie Stone. They were stationed in Germany where they had their first child Jeffrey. He was also stationed in Mississippi and Texas, finally returning to Tacoma. After his military service, and while working, he enrolled in the University of Washington where he received his BA in Political Science, and their second child was born, Lorrine.
Denny began his civilian work at the Postal Service which would become his lifelong career. He began as a clerk, at station A on 37th St in Tacoma. It was a good place for him, due to his extraverted attitude and how well he worked with the public. He was promoted to the USPS EAP {Employee Assistance Program} in Seattle, where he would take his experience with alcoholism and help others who suffered with the disease. Denny had proudly celebrated 44 years of sobriety with Alcoholics Anonymous in December 2020. He worked in Seattle for 6 years, then was offered a spot as a Postmaster in Sylvana, Washington, where he once again loved and was loved by many of his postal customers. Several years later early retirement was offered, and he took it.
Denny was an avid reader of many topics. Science Fiction was a large part of his library, and his grandson, Matthew, enjoyed it as well; they would spend hours together talking about these fantasy worlds.
If you knew Denny, then you knew his love of music was an integral part of who he was. Denny’s joy of music started when he played the violin in school. This love helped develop his interests in the fine arts which included theatre, ballet, opera, orchestra, and all genres of music. Jazz became one of his passions. On a family vacation to Port Townsend, he met Dee Dee Rainbow, the Rainbow Lady of Jazz and who was well-known throughout the Pacific Northwest. She would become one of his best friends as they went to many jazz events, including 30 years of attending the Monterey Jazz Festival. Denny’s love of jazz rubbed off on his grandson, Spencer, who is completing his master’s degree in Trumpet Performing as well as performing professionally.
Denny did a deep dive into reading and exploring spiritual truths and religious studies. This included Sufism, which he embraced as an important part of his spiritual practices. The Sufi community, where he was known as Sartaj, was a beloved extended family for him. Denny was a spiritual truth seeker. He encouraged people to be open to others without judgement. He was a strong minded, touch love, and compassionate man that could express his beliefs, feelings, and convictions with all the passion of a fire and brimstone preacher! I think we all could agree on that. Denny would want his life celebrated as one well-lived and one well-loved. He will continue to live in the hearts and minds of the lives that he touched and inspired though his way of giving back to the world.
Denny, we loved you for who you were.