Melvin Tuyl

The angels welcomed Dennis home to be with his Lord on November 30, 2012 after a long, brave battle with cancer. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa on January 29, 1953 to Melvin Dean and Arlene Johnston Van Tuyl. He moved with his parents to Kansas City, Missouri in 1955. In 1960, he moved to Shawnee Mission. He attended church at the Kansas City Baptist Temple, accepted Christ there in 1964 and was baptized there in 1971. He graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest in 1970 and later from General Motors Training School. Dennis worked a number of years for D.P.D. Manufacturing installing air conditioners, Overland Park Dodge, and Western Auto as an Auto Technician. In 1986, he opened his own wood shavings business which he ran for 20 years then later helped his son, Jesse, run J.V.'s Auto Repair and Car Sales in LaCygne, Kansas. In April of 1977, he was united in marriage to Kelly McEntee and to this union; they had one son, Jesse Dean Van Tuyl in 1981. They moved to LaCygne in 1992. Dennis has been a long standing member and officer in the Cadmus Grange #350. Dennis, or as some in the family called him, Denny, had a heart that was bigger than life. He would help anyone at any time and was always the "go to" person in the family. His shoulders were big enough for everyone to lean on and he never asked anything in return. He could fix, create and build just about anything and enjoyed doing it! He was a loving, devoted husband and father. His laugh was contagious. Dennis was always fun loving and he was an extremely upbeat and positive man which he carried through his journey with cancer. Dennis loved riding his motorcycle, his filets at Houlihans in Fairway, Kansas, his mother's homemade bread rolls and chocolate pudding, zip burgers from Mugs Up, tamales from Jim's Tamales(both in Independence, MO) and his family! Although sometimes hard to see, it was his individualism and courage that put Denny in a category all of his own. He will be missed greatly by all. He did EVERYTHING "His Way". Those preceding him in death were his father, Melvin Dean Van Tuyl, brother, Donald Dean Van Tuyl, grandparents, Jesse and Dolly Van Tuyl, Clifford and Mabel Johnston and one brother in law, Tom Wilkinson. He leaves behind his wife, Kelly, of 35 years, son Jesse, of the home, mother Arlene Johnston Harvey( who Dennis loved and called "Mother Dear", step father, Fred Harvey, (who Dennis had much admiration and respect for). sister, Sharon Wilkinson(who he has been extremely close to since birth), nephews Vince and Fortune Sanders, great nephew Stephen Sanders, great niece, Morgan Sanders, and a great great nephew Emerson Sanders, and several uncles aunts cousins and a host of other relatives and friends. Also leaving behind, his father and mother in law, George "Moose" and Barbara McEntee, brothers in law and sisters in law, Dan (Kim) McEntee, Chris (Kim) McEntee, nephews Carter, Cole and Dillon McEntee, nieces, Jordan and Hailey McEntee, sisters in law and brothers in law Robin (Randy) Niemeyer, niece Lauren Niemeyer, Colleen (Richard) Land and niece Jennifer (Jason) Taylor, great niece Madison Taylor and great nephew Caden Taylor. Funeral service 11 AM Monday, December 3, 2012, Calvary Baptist Church. Burial in the East Mt Zion Cemetery. Visitation 5 to 6 PM Sunday, Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, LaCygne Chapel. 2nd Visitation 10 AM to service Monday, Calvary Baptist. Denny requested contributions to the Calvary Baptist Church. On line condolences for the family can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com. Arrangements: Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, LaCygne Chapel.

Visitation Details

Sunday, December 2nd, 2012 5:00pm - 6:00pm, Schneider Funeral Homes & Crematory, LaCygne Chapel

Monday, December 3rd, 2012 10:00am - 11:00am, Calvary Baptist Church

Service Information

Monday, December 3rd, 2012 11:00am, Calvary Baptist Church

Interment Details

East Mt Zion Cemetery