Professor Emeritus
Fitchburg State University
Lunenburg
Lee DeNike, 85, of Lunenburg, MA passed away at home on Monday, July 11, 2022, following an illness.
Dr. DeNike was born on February 27, 1937, in Bridgeport, CT, son of the late Harold and Lillian (Wright) DeNike. His early years were spent in Saugerties, in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Later school years were spent in Poughkeepsie, NY.
Lee received a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master of Arts Degree from the State University of New York at Albany in 1960-61. A bit later, he earned a Master of Education Degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. In 1973, he received his Ph.D. from Kent State University in Kent, OH.
Over the span of his teaching career, he taught at Valley Central School in Montgomery, NY, Columbus Public High School in Columbus, WS, Montana State University in Bozeman, MT, Kent State University in Kent, OH and Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg, MA, from which he retired in 2000 having served for many years as the Chairman of the Communications Department, and full professor. He was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus.
Dr. DeNike enjoyed several hobbies from dry fly fishing, stamp collecting, bee keeping, to passenger railroad trips, traveling and gardening.
He leaves his wife of 61 years, M. Jane (Shepherd) DeNike; his two daughters, Holly Lynn DeNike of Fitchburg, MA and Carrie Jane DeNike and grandson, Jax of Encinitas, CA.
In addition to his parents, he was also predeceased by his brother, John DeNike. Dr. DeNike was the last descendant of his line of DeNikes that settled in the Dutch colony of New Netherlands in the lower region of the Hudson River Valley, now New York, in 1644.
There will be no calling hours. His burial at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, Poughkeepsie, NY will be private.
The family kindly asks that memorial contributions be made in honor of Lee to NEADS World Class Service Dogs by mailing a check to: NEADS, Inc., P.O. Box 1100, Princeton, MA 01541 or online by visiting neads.org/donate.
The Lunenburg Chapel of the Sawyer-Miller-Masciarelli Funeral Homes, 763 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, MA 01462 has been entrusted with the care of Lee’s arrangements.
To leave a condolence for the family or to plant a tree in Lee’s memory, please visit our website, www.masciarellifamilyfuneralhomes.net
John F. Masciarelli and Terresa Shea, Funeral Directors.
View the online memorial for Lee DeNike
Published by Sentinel & Enterprise on Jul. 17, 2022.
Credit: Source link
