By: Mr. Scott Rugen
December 31, 2024
Opening Eulogy at Interment
"Dennis served in all of these roles and despite his handicap,
prevailed in all of them being the best that he could be.
A man to be respected, loved, and admired."
INTRO
My name is Scott Rugen. I am a family friend of the Kellys and worked as a Delaware Trooper with Dennis at Troop 1 Penny Hill where he was assigned to the Patrol Division. Paula asked me to say a few words about Dennis and the extraordinary life he lived.
BACKGROUND
Dennis was born in 1955 in Wilmington where he lived until his injury and subsequent move to Bear, DE, then to Elkton, MD. He attended Salesianum High School where he played football in different positions and graduated in 1973. Before joining the Delaware State Police in 1977 he worked at different trades including ironwork, roofing, and tree cutting. He also obtained his Pilot’s License and flew an airplane for Brooks Armored Car company. He never shied away from hard work which is a credit to his hardworking Irish parents and siblings.
CAREER
Dennis was appointed to the Delaware State Police in October 1977 and graduated from the Training Academy after six months of intense training in March-1978. He was then assigned to Troop #1 for additional ride along training with a trooper-coach for several weeks. I was Dennis’s first trooper coach at Troop 1. I had no idea at that time that I was about to embark on a lifelong friendship that involved patrolling together, flying together, and occasionally…drinking beer together. If you knew Dennis you knew he never could resist a cold beer, that is unless it was within 12 hours of a flying assignment. He was easy to train because he asked so many questions wanting to learn and Dennis always strove to do the best that he could.
If you were lucky enough while on patrol to have Trooper Kelly sent as a backup, there was none better. He did not back down from anyone under any circumstances. He would always try to reason with people before things got physical but if they did get physical, I had no worries with Dennis being there to back me up. He turned out to be an excellent Patrol Trooper, but he wanted to fly.
He and Paula married in December 1978 and they recently celebrated their 46th anniversary.
Aviation remained a love of his and on days off we would go flying. Ultimately, his goal was to apply for the Delaware State Police Aviation Unit. In April-1981 Dennis was reassigned to the State Police Aviation Unit thus fulfilling his dream. He went to Bell Helicopter school in Texas for several weeks of helicopter training. In aviation, as in patrol, he made many friends and earned the respect of his fellow troopers and pilots. He loved flying the DSP aircraft and being part of the Aviation Unit. He liked to share stories of flying with the infamous Bill Boyle and in fact some of his stories were actually TRUE. Dennis developed a reputation of being an excellent pilot and taught lesser experienced pilots the ins and outs of flying law enforcement missions.
Dennis loved the Navy’s Blue Angels flight performance team. He was always conflicted when the Army-Navy football game was played. His older brother Tom graduated from West Point so he was a bit partial about rooting for Army. I think he switched his support for either team from year to year.
Sadly, in May 1984 Dennis’s flying career was cut short as a result of an accident at Georgetown Airport that left him permanently disabled. He officially retired from the State Police in April 1985. With huge challenges facing both he and Paula, Dennis pushed on, never giving up. He assisted some local aircraft maintenance companies with their maintenance programs and assisted others who were disabled like himself. And, he continued his love of flying with a flight simulator installed on his home computer.
CHARACTER
Dennis kept in contact with his Sallies classmates, aviation friends, and the State Police brotherhood. Throughout his life he continued to manage the household finances and everyday burdens of home ownership. Not once did I ever hear him complain.
Humility remained a key attribute of his personality. Not wanting special recognition or preference, rather he just wanted to be “Dennis” or “Kell”. After moving to Elkton, Dennis and Paula adopted a girl from Bolivia and named her Samantha. Samantha turned out to be just as talented and smart as he was. He was so proud of all of her accomplishments and the way she traveled the world.
LEGACY
We both cherished our time at Troop #1 and spoke reverently of the great leadership there. Dennis was always glad to see any visitor or meet anybody for lunch. He loved attending the State Police retired association picnics held in Dover every September. It gave him a chance to catch up with the brothers and sisters of the state police that makes our organization so special.
We have a bond that does not break.
The remarkable thing about Dennis was that he was determined to never let his disability define the type of man he wanted to be. He stayed true to himself and that is one of the reasons we are all here today to express or our love for him. Husband, father, brother, uncle, trooper, pilot, and friend. Dennis served in all of these roles and despite his handicap, prevailed in all of them being the best that he could be. A man to be respected, loved, and admired.
Corporal Kelly-your shift is over, you are hereby relieved. May you rest in peace.
Thank you.