Dennis Lee Opheim
Dennis Lee Opheim entered eternal rest on Nov. 15, 2019, peacefully following complications of multiple strokes.
The visitation will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, at the Silver Creek Mortuary Chapel in Taylor. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, at The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints Silver Creek Stake Center in Taylor. Visitation will be one hour prior. Interment following at the Reed Hatch Memorial Cemetery in Taylor.
He was born to Roy Chester Opheim and Hazel Myrtle Ruth Gilbertson on May 17, 1938, in Minneapolis, Minn. Dennis grew up in Willmar, Minn. He was an avid trumpet player in both band and a trio that stayed in touch their entire lives. He enjoyed golf, hunting, and repairing and refinishing firearms.
Beginning in 1958, Dennis spent over 30 years in the printed circuit industry. He started with Fabritech Circuits in Minneapolis, worked in numerous shops around the country, and ended his career as executive vice president of ACTII Printed Circuits in Tempe.
He married Gloria Swenson in 1957. The union produced three wonderful sons. That marriage ended in divorce in 1971. He married Jamie Rohling on Aug. 15, 1980, and gained not only a loving spouse, but after a year he adopted her daughter making their family complete.
The Opheim’s purchased property in Apache County and began building Bullseye Ranch in 1987. They retired and moved to the White Mountains permanently in 1991 where they enjoyed golfing and the wide-open spaces. They would downsize and relocate to Taylor in 2005.
Having always dabbled in firearms, retirement was not to be permanent. In 1994, he became the owner of Hunter’s Paradise in Snowflake. They bought a building and moved the location in 1997. The sign on the building would read “Biggest little gun store in Arizona” until it closed in 2014.
Dennis was imprinted at an early age with a love for shooting, specifically bird hunting by his Uncle Dean George. It would become something he passionately enjoyed as well as shared with his family members. Skeet, sporting clays, practical pistol and cowboy action shooting were but a few of the shooting disciplines he not only enjoyed but excelled at. At age 75, he participated in the 2013 World Skeet Championships in San Antonio, Texas, where he won four awards in his class. He was State Champion High Overall E1 in 2017.
Dennis was a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints. He was baptized Jan. 29, 2006, received his temple endowments on Feb. 10, 2007, and has been a devout and faithful member throughout his life in the church. He has served numerous callings and even in these past couple of years when his health began to fail, he rarely missed fulfilling his obligations. He cherished and enjoyed the fellowship and even in his final week he was so looking forward to attending services.
Dennis is survived by his wife, Jamie; his sons, Drew Layne Opheim and Neil Wade (Barb Church) Opheim; his daughter, Brenda Lynn (Tom) Jayo; grandchildren, Heather Lynn Jayo, Lleah Church, Donald (Jenn) Church and Adam (Kristen) Church; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and oldest son, Reed Cory Opheim.
Silver Creek Mortuary of Taylor handled the arrangements.
