Obituary: Dennis Edmund Marenius

Dennis Edmund Marenius

Dennis Edmund Marenius 1955 – 2021 LISBON FALLS – Dennis Edmund Marenius, 65, of Lisbon Falls, passed away July 27, 2021, along with his wife, Anita, in a traffic collision in El Paso, Texas. Dennis was born on Nov. 26, 1955, in Castine, to Edmund and Muriel (Clement) Marenius. He graduated from Morse High School and Andover College and served in the Air National Guard where he earned the rank of staff sergeant. He married his wife, Anita Pickens, on April 5, 1980. Dennis made his career at Bath Iron Works, starting as an electrician and cutting his own path over 40 years to finish as a senior engineer and project manager when he retired in 2018. A lifelong learner, Dennis cultivated a love of science, philosophy, history and technology that he shared with his two children while homeschooling them alongside Anita. Always a calm and steady presence, he gave sound, trustworthy, and caring guidance. Dennis strongly believed in community building through service and was a volunteer firefighter and EMT. He found meaning in sacrificing his time and care to help those most in need of aid. Dennis was a keen outdoorsman, often wearing the most vividly colored high-performance apparel: he was always “the man in the bright jacket.” He kayaked and biked extensively, hiked the 100 Mile Wilderness and completed the Trek Across Maine multiple times. He also played the euphonium in the Auburn Community Concert Band. He and Anita set out in 2019 for a retirement filled with travel and adventure, and though the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 delayed some plans, they enjoyed the time for rest and reflection together. Dennis is survived by his children Nissa Marenius of Los Alamos, N.M., and Adric Marenius of El Paso, Texas; his father, Edmund Marenius of Bath; his siblings David Marenius of Woolwich and Belinda Sharpe of Pittsfield; and nephews Cody Marenius of Woolwich and Anthony Nixon of Norway; as well as a great-nephew. He is predeceased by his mother, Muriel Marenius. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a family interment in Mt. Hope Cemetery in South Gardiner. Local arrangements are entrusted with Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 53 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website: http://www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.com .