DENNIS GERARD DeCOURSEY,
64, of Little Rock, a devoted family and businessman, passed away April 16, 2021. He was born on April 26, 1956, in Kansas City, Kansas, to William and Ann Ciston DeCoursey, the seventh of their nine children.
His childhood home was located on a block with several other large families, and the stories from those formative years are the stuff of legends, always told with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Dennis attended Catholic schools, including Rockhurst High School, where he fostered his lifelong love of rooting on his team to victory.
After graduating from the University of Kansas with his degree in business administration, and another in accounting he then went on to earn his C.P.A. He worked at Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he saved up for a year to propose to his beloved bride Sandy, who was finishing her senior year at KU. After a few years at Phillips, they moved to Little Rock, where Dennis owned and operated Smith, DeCoursey, and Associates for more than 20 years and served as an esteemed actuarial consultant. He and Sandy raised four children there, putting each of them through Catholic school and devoting countless hours to coaching sports teams, attending gymnastics meets, and cheering from the bleachers.
While he fully embraced his new identity as a Hogs fan, he also remained a loyal Jayhawks, Kansas City Chiefs, and Royals supporter. He added several other teams to the mix as his kids attended college and grad school. His racquetball and weekend wardrobe consisted primarily of t-shirts from their various institutions, his way of expressing his pride in his kids. Although Dennis never held a formal educational role, his love of teaching was apparent to anyone who knew him. From learning to walk to taking the training wheels off bikes, he tenderly pushed kids to take risks and try new things. He coached sports teams, where he focused on good sportsmanship and teamwork, lessons that continue to serve many into adulthood. His absence may be felt most acutely on the sidelines at the future soccer games of his grandchildren. He would have loved to organize a team of the four who were all born within a year of each other!
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Michael (“Mike”) DeCoursey. He is survived by his wife, Sandra (“Sandy”) DeCoursey, as well as his children and grandchildren, Brigid and Ely Bondoc (Lucille), Brett and Cassandra (“Cass”) DeCoursey (Alexandra, Jack, and Finn), Annie and Matthew Cavenar (Owen), Jason and Emily DeCoursey (Maria). His surviving siblings are, William (“Bill”) DeCoursey, Kathy Bailey, Dan DeCoursey, Philip DeCoursey, Kevin DeCoursey, Kenneth DeCoursey, and Anne Wanamaker. He also leaves behind innumerable extended family members and friends, including in-laws, Warren and Ann Smith, and sisterin-law, Dana Smith, all of whom will miss him dearly. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph Center of Arkansas: www.stjosephcenter.org.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., on Thursday, April 22, 2021, at Smith Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Court, Little Rock, Arkansas. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, April 23, 2021, at 3:30 p.m., at Christ the King Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Dennis’ online guestbook may be signed at: www.smithfamilycares.com.