Alan Dean Denning, 39

Alan Dean Denning, 39, "peacefully returned to his heavenly home," after a beautiful day at the lake with his wife on Wednesday, June 28, 2006, at his residence in Coram.

He was born in Havre on July 16, 1966, the son of Don and Linda (Rienhart) Denning. Alan was the oldest of three children. His family moved to the Flathead Valley when he was 9. He attended school in Kalispell and graduated from Flathead High School in 1985.

He married his high school sweetheart, Kristin Schuman, on Oct. 20, 1986. Alan and Kris spent two years at Hill Air Force Base in Salt Lake City. As soon as they could, they moved back to the Flathead Valley.

Alan always enjoyed hunting, fishing, water skiing and the outdoors. He loved lakes and rivers. He shared his appreciation of nature with his two daughters, Carissa and Kacey, and his wife, Kris. Alan was a multi-talented man; his artistic ability, his talent for finding joy in life, his vivacious personality, his quick beautiful smile that would light up a room and his charm are just the tip of what a wonderful, neat person he was. He was an asset to many businesses around the valley and taught a strong work ethic to all.

His family loves him and misses him already. He brought so much happiness and joy to them. He will always be remembered, never forgotten and missed immensely.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents and his maternal grandfather, and many cousins, aunts and uncles.

He is survived by his wife, Kristin Denning, and their daughters, Carissa, age 13 and Kacey, age 10, all of Coram; his parents, Don and Linda Denning of Kalispell; his sisters, Tracy Mower and husband, James, and daughters of Kalispell, and Karen VanHemert and her husband, Eric, and their children of Butte; grandmother Ruth Rienhart of Chinook; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Memorial services will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, July 3, at Lawrence Park in Kalispell.

The family suggests that donations be made to the Carissa and Kacey Denning Education Fund, c/o Whitefish Credit Union, P.O. Box 1322, Columbia Falls, MT 59912.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Alan's family.