Dennis Hirter

Dennis Hirter, 79, of Robinson, IL, passed away on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at Crawford Memorial Hospital. He was born on September 11, 1946, in Portland, OR, and he spent his early years out west. His family would often rent a cabin along the Oregon coast, and something about being out in God's creation got into him there and stayed. When he was in high school, his family moved to Oblong to be closer to relatives, and Dennis finished his school years at Oblong High School.

After graduation, he headed north for a stretch and worked at a steel mill in Gary, IN. But he came back, and when he did, he started at Victor Dana. That turned out to be more than a job. For over fifty years, Dennis worked as a die maker at Dana in Robinson, eventually becoming the longest-tenured employee they had. They celebrated him when he hit the fifty-year mark, and honestly, he would have kept right on going if open-heart surgery and a few other health issues hadn't finally caught up with him. He liked the work, and he liked the people. He used to joke that he got paid to sit until they needed him, but that was just Dennis. The truth was, he was good at his craft, and he took the time to share it with the younger guys coming up, passing along what he knew the way the men before him had done for him.

In 1974, Dennis married Marva Hart, and his life found its center. They were married for 52 years, and together they raised three daughters: Angie, Stacy, and Jennifer. Family came first for Dennis, and it showed in so many ways, both big and small. They took vacations together every year, and when they got home, he got right back to work providing for them. His family knew Dennis as the kind of husband and father who could fix just about anything. He remodeled most of their house over the years and kept every car in the family running. But mostly, his garage was where he could be found woodworking. He built cribs for his girls' dolls and furniture for their rooms. He made shelves and small pieces. He even built a wishing well for the yard. Needless to say, he had hands that knew what to do and a heart that wanted to put them to use.

When he wasn't building, he was outside. He and Marva would walk the forest preserve together or just take a loop around town. On nice afternoons, the two of them would sit outside and watch the birds come to their house, content with that. He had other loves, too. They got out to plenty of music festivals over the years, and he loved checking out car shows, his eyes on the lookout for the oldest and fastest cars on the lot. These excursions usually found them going out to eat, but his favorite dishes were all homemade. He made sure everyone knew that Marva fed him well.

Dennis was a quiet man. You usually had to start the conversation, but once you did, his humor came out, dry and witty and worth waiting for. When his son-in-law Josh first met him, he wondered why Dennis was so quiet. Dennis's answer was perfect: "You'd be quiet too, in a house full of women." His greatest joy, in the end, was his family, especially being a grandpa. Or "Denno the Dinosaur," depending on who was doing the talking. Being their grandpa was, in a lot of ways, the natural extension of who he'd always been: stable, present, and quietly devoted to the people in front of him. Dennis didn't need to say much. The life he built said it for him.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Marva Hirter of Robinson, IL; his daughters, Angie O'Connell (Heath) of Geneva, IL, Stacy Tingley (Mark) of Rockford, IL, and Jennifer Karl (Josh) of Allen, TX; his brothers, Bruce Hirter of Robinson, IL, and Kenneth Hirter of Oblong, IL; and his brother-in-law Kelly (Brenda) Hart. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Mary Hirter.

A private graveside service will be held at the Pleasant Hill/Petty Cemetery in rural Chauncey at a later date. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson is assisting the family.