GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man whose weekly talks became a popular staple at a local coffee shop the past few months has died.
Dennis Van Hook died on September 22 from cancer at the age of 70
He started a weekly talk, called Tuesdays With Dennis, earlier this year at Electric City Coffee & Bistro when he was told he only had a year left to live.
Electric City Coffee Shop & Bistro co-owner Thad Reiste said the talks focused on a wide range of topics and were modeled after the popular book "Tuesdays with Morrie."
At first, there was just one person attending but eventually a dozen or more people would regularly come to talk with Van Hook.
Reiste said the sessions sometimes lasted for hours.
"Dennis was a regular customer, but he was also a character. Everybody that knew Dennis knew he always had a funny story or a twist that he could put on a story that would either make you feel good or shine a different light on whatever you were talking about," Reiste said.
A sign made for the talks will now be permanently on display in honor of Van Hook.
From the obituary for Van Hook:
In 1984, Dennis joined the United States Air Force and was stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California. Dennis practiced clinical social work for the Air Force. After three years in California, Dennis was transferred to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana where he served the Great Falls community as a clinical social worker for more than 30 years. Whether practicing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, the local hospital, or the community mental health center, Dennis devoted his life to serving others. He also loved to teach his craft as a professor of psychology at Park University. His kooky personality and one-of-a-kind smile will not soon be forgotten, and the memories of Dennis zipping around town in his Miata or cruising along the river on his Vespa scooter will be in our hearts forever.
