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Dennis Adrian Torfin
March 18, 1936 ~ October 17, 2021 (age 85) 85 Years Old
6 Flowers or Condolences have been shared with support of Dennis's family - View on Tribute Wall
Dennis Adrian Torfin of Boise, Idaho, passed away peacefully on a quiet Sunday morning on October 17, 2021, from complications of Alzheimer’s. He spent the final 5 weeks of his life in the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Christoffer and Stacy Torfin of Gainesville, Virginia, and under the care of Capital Care Hospice. He was 85.
He was born on Wednesday, March 18, 1936, in Kloten, North Dakota, to Fred and Mathea Torfin. He is the 5th son and one of 9 children. He has 5 brothers, Gordy, Milt, Freddy, Mickey, and Pat, and 3 sisters, Maxine, Mary and Joyce, whom we all affectionately call “The Swells.” Dennis was preceded in death by a half brother, Virgil. His Torfin family meant the world to him and attending family reunions every year was a huge priority in his life.
He spent his growing up years in North Dakota. He graduated from Kloten High school where he excelled at basketball. After high school he went to work for the North Dakota Highway Dept. He always gave credit that his Aunt Laura was responsible for getting him this coveted position. He was exceptionally close to both of his mother’s sisters, Aunt Laura and Aunt Myrtle who were angels in the family’s lives, often providing the extras at Christmastime and birthdays.
Dennis’ family had planned a move to the state of Washington just before he was to graduate. It was decided that Dennis could stay in North Dakota to finish school, but when his sister Maxine heard about that, she said that she should get to stay as well. His father then made an executive decision and NO one moved to Washington.
Not long after, Dennis left North Dakota in pursuit of work in Seattle at the Boeing Factory. This is where Deanna Slayden enters the picture. Deanna and some of her girlfriends took a trip to Washington to meet up with these handsome North Dakotan boys. Dennis was introduced to Deanna Slayden, and, well, as they say, the rest is history. He and Deanna married on Feb. 6, 1958.
Dennis and Deanna were married for 58 years. Dennis affectionately called Deanna ‘God’s favorite child’. They spent most of their life, raising their family in Idaho, with stops in Montana, Utah and California.
Dennis is the father of 5 children: Jan (Lorin) McArthur of Ammon, Idaho, Dan (Ann) of Eagle, Idaho, Suzie (Bruce) Williams of Meridian, Anna (deceased) and Christoffer (Stacy) of Gainesville. Virginia. He is the proud grandfather of 14 grandchildren, who have now added 26 ‘greats’ to his posterity.
In his professional life he worked as an advertising executive for the Scripps League Newspaper chain. He loved the advertising business! This job took the family to many different cities and towns. The family especially loved living in Lake Tahoe. Dennis also worked in the auto sales industry in the Boise valley, eventually owning and managing his own car lot, Dennis Torfin Auto Sales. One of his dreams was to have an RV and travel all around the country.
His family knew Dennis as ‘The Great Observer’. He loved nothing better than to sit amongst his kids, listening to their stories and tall tales. He was a great storyteller himself, especially when he and his brothers and sisters were all together. It is unclear how much was fact and how much exactly was fiction, but his children loved being there in the midst of loud laughter and raucous stories.
Dennis loved to garden. His garden in the summer was chock full of all varieties of vegetables; with blackberries and raspberries bushes lining the back fence. “A grand kid paradise.
Being “hemmed in” was one of his favorite pastimes, especially on a Sunday morning when everyone was at church. Dennis was not much of a religious man. He was famous for saying that “he wasn’t a joiner”, and he stayed true to that his entire life.
Dennis was, however, a very committed Boise State Bronco basketball fan! He and Deanna were season tickets holders for 36 years! They loved going to the games and sitting by all their Bronco friends. And it wasn’t out of the ordinary to see them early at the games, eating a packed lunch in their car.
Dennis also dabbled in the arts, He loved to draw and paint, and he very much LOVED his Norwegian heritage. His home was filled with all things Scandinavian. He and Deanna were members of the Grondal Lodge of the Son’s of Norway in Boise, Idaho.
In the 1990’s Dennis was diagnosed with Blepharospasm. He subsequently went on to serve as the chapter representative of that organization in Idaho, providing information and help to others with that disease.
Dennis was preceded in death by his wife, Deanna, infant daughter Anna, his parents, Fred and Mathea, half brother Virgil, and all 5 of his brothers.
The family would like to sincerely thank Carrie, Michelle, Jennifer, Janessa, Crystal, Kali and Tim of Keystone Hospice and Havenwood Home Care of Boise and Capital Care of Virginia for all their assistance and help during the past year.
A celebration of Dennis’ life will be held on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 11:00am at Relyea Funeral Chapel in Boise, Idaho. Interment will be at the Dry Creek Cemetery in Boise, Idaho.
Contributions made in memory of Dennis can be made to:
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America info@alzfdn.org Sons of Norway Foundation foundation@sofn.com Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation bebrf@blepharospasm.org
Services
Service
Friday November 5, 2021 11:00 AM Relyea Funeral Chapel 318 North Latah St Boise, ID 83706