Dennis McKee
1946-12-05 2024-10-13
Dennis James McKee was born Dec. 5, 1946 in McKee’s Port, Pennsylvania. His family moved to California soon after and Dennis was raised in Redlands, California. He quickly became the typical Dennis the Menace that he remained his entire life. He was drafted into the Army in 1968 and became a Helicopter Crew Chief in Viet Nam for one year. After being discharged, he attended Valley College in San Bernardino. Dennis began working at Pratt Brothers doing fiberglass boat repairs before starting his own business, Spectrum Fiberglass. There he repaired everything from a church steeple to a chicken to a tug boat. On the weekends, free spirited Dennis would be skiing, off roading or off to San Onofre with his surfboard,
During this time, Dennis entered a raffle at a charity event and won a baby horse. Surfer Dennis had no idea what to do with a horse but thought it was cool to win it. A man at the event told Dennis that there was no such thing as a free horse and Dennis found out how true that is. Little did he know that the little colt he named Raffles would change his life.
When Raffles was a couple of years old, Dennis moved him from Orange County to Happy Ours Ranch in Redlands. It was there that he met Janis, her two daughters and their horses. Dennis had just begun attending Calvary Chapel Packing House in Redlands. After a couple of years of ranch friendship, Janis began attending the Packing House with him and the rest is history. They were married June 24, 1995.
Dennis was active in the Men’s Bible Fellowship at the Packing House and would often transport disabled people to church for Saturday Night Life. He participated in a Pro-Life ministry and joined the Mexican Children’s Christian Association which took monthly trips to Mexico to deliver food to orphanages.
Most weekends, Dennis and Janis would take their horses camping, riding them everywhere from the Sierras to the desert. Twice they rode to the top of San Gorgonio peak. An artist at heart, Dennis enjoyed creating metal sculptures, leather tooling and water color painting. Dennis decided to take his leather tooling art to Native American Pow Wows. For a couple of years, Janis and Dennis would often spend weekends selling Acoma Pueblo pottery and tooled leather art at Pow Wows, meeting lots of great people.
After 10 years, they purchased 28 acres in Banning’s Mias Canyon and began developing their ranch. It was a lot of hard work but Dennis enjoyed creating something out of nothing. He especially enjoyed driving the tractor. They began attending Calvary Chapel of the Pass, now Calvary Chapel Beaumont, where Dennis was active in the Men’s Bible Study, an Elder and helped where ever needed.
Dennis loved the Lord and always declared to all that God was in control. His faith strengthened him through everything and perhaps now he is riding his horse and catching the waves.
During this time, Dennis entered a raffle at a charity event and won a baby horse. Surfer Dennis had no idea what to do with a horse but thought it was cool to win it. A man at the event told Dennis that there was no such thing as a free horse and Dennis found out how true that is. Little did he know that the little colt he named Raffles would change his life.
When Raffles was a couple of years old, Dennis moved him from Orange County to Happy Ours Ranch in Redlands. It was there that he met Janis, her two daughters and their horses. Dennis had just begun attending Calvary Chapel Packing House in Redlands. After a couple of years of ranch friendship, Janis began attending the Packing House with him and the rest is history. They were married June 24, 1995.
Dennis was active in the Men’s Bible Fellowship at the Packing House and would often transport disabled people to church for Saturday Night Life. He participated in a Pro-Life ministry and joined the Mexican Children’s Christian Association which took monthly trips to Mexico to deliver food to orphanages.
Most weekends, Dennis and Janis would take their horses camping, riding them everywhere from the Sierras to the desert. Twice they rode to the top of San Gorgonio peak. An artist at heart, Dennis enjoyed creating metal sculptures, leather tooling and water color painting. Dennis decided to take his leather tooling art to Native American Pow Wows. For a couple of years, Janis and Dennis would often spend weekends selling Acoma Pueblo pottery and tooled leather art at Pow Wows, meeting lots of great people.
After 10 years, they purchased 28 acres in Banning’s Mias Canyon and began developing their ranch. It was a lot of hard work but Dennis enjoyed creating something out of nothing. He especially enjoyed driving the tractor. They began attending Calvary Chapel of the Pass, now Calvary Chapel Beaumont, where Dennis was active in the Men’s Bible Study, an Elder and helped where ever needed.
Dennis loved the Lord and always declared to all that God was in control. His faith strengthened him through everything and perhaps now he is riding his horse and catching the waves.