Dennis Ross McCabe, 68, of Warrensburg, Missouri, died Saturday, Dec. 19, at Western Missouri Medical Center.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg with Brother Charles Brant officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time.

Dennis was born May 26, 1947, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Lester and Clara (Ross) McCabe.

He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 1972 with a degree in recreation administration. Before finishing his degree, he served in the U.S. Army with the military police. He played Army football as a nose guard. After graduating college, he began his career as a civil servant for the next 40 years.

He and Susan Fisher were united in marriage on Nov. 25, 1972, in Red Wing, Minnesota. They lived in Wichita, Kansas, where he started his new job at McConnell AFB as a youth director. He and Susan moved to Fairfield, California, where he worked at Travis AFB. In 1976, they moved to Woodbridge, England, Bentwaters AFB, working as a recreation manager. He worked up the ladder at what was then called Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. His two daughters, Melanie and Kristen, were born in nearby Ipswich Hospital. In 1980, they moved to Germany where he served as the USAFE sports director. After more than seven years in Europe, they returned to the U.S., living in Alexandria, Louisiana, ironically working at England AFB.

His career took him to Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Scott AFB in O’Fallon, Illinois. His last two moves were to Tuscan, Arizona, and Davis-Monthan AFB before finally moving to Warrensburg to work at Whiteman AFB in 2004. He retired in 2011 after a long career as a civil servant.

Many of the friends Dennis made around the world will remember him as an avid football fan. He knew every statistic, especially college and professional football. His team of choice was the Oklahoma (Boomer) Sooners.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Susan, of Warrensburg; two daughters, Melanie McCabe, of St. Petersburg, Florida; and Kristen McCabe, of Warrensburg; a brother, Michael McCabe, of Olathe, Kansas; and a sister, Leta Rae Thompson, of Edmond, Oklahoma.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the American Diabetes Association or Freedom Service Dogs of America and can be left in care of the funeral home.