Dennis Paul Delaney

Dennis Delaney, 69 years old, of Scottsdale, Arizona passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on December 17th after a valiant battle with cancer. Originally from Michigan, Dennis attended Sacred Heart High School in Dearborn where he played football, basketball and ran track. After graduating from high school, he went onto Kalamazoo College where he also played football. He transferred to Michigan State University and graduated Cum Laude with a BA in telecommunications. Dennis had a very successful career in telecommunications at AT&T, MCI and American Express. He was a meticulous professional and leader in the technology space, someone who could do anything he put his mind to and was never afraid to take on new or unfamiliar tasks. Dennis was intellectually curious about many things in life. Success in business was one of his many accomplishments but his greatest pride, joy and love was his family. He helped shape his loving kids and grandkids into the people they are today. He always beamed with pride at their accomplishments and had a talent for picking them up when they were down. Dennis brought a sense of comfort and calmness to those around him, a way of making people feel at home when they were with him. A comedian not so much, his dad jokes were always expected, and he often found them funnier than the recipients of the joke. Dennis fought the good fight and was determined to beat his cancer but his job here was done, and the Lord has called him home. Trying to summarize Dennis’ life in one paragraph is impossible but one thing is for sure; he made the world a brighter place and those who were fortunate to call him family or friend will greatly miss him.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Mary-Alice, son David Centofante, daughter Gina (Wilk) Wilkerson, grandchildren Charisma, Bella, Vince, and Lily, sister Sheila (Chuck) Moore, sister Colleen (Mike) Spencer, sister Margaret (Richard) Barclift, brother Terry (Sue) Delaney, brother-in-law Mark O’Leary, brother-in-law Michael (Deb) Centofante, sister-in-law Patti Centofante, brother-in-law Angelo (Sandi) Centofante, brother-in-law Tony Centofante , and many, many wonderful aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by daughter Lisa, sister Mary, great niece Delaney, parents Paul and Pat Delaney, father and mother-in-law Sam and Sally Centofante, and his four-legged friends Mulligan and Coffee, whom he would say are the only ones that listen to him.

Memorial services for Dennis will be forthcoming and communicated by his family.