Born: Saturday Apr-27-1940
Died: Wednesday Oct-01-2025
Funeral: Friday Oct-10-2025

Morrison Funeral Home
& Crematory
188 S. Hwy 24
Rupert, Idaho 83350
Contact and Directions

A LIVE WEBCAST WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: https://zoom.us/j/8700091521?pwd=UTkrSWhUcy9qcFBxRjdHTFF6cllNQT09

 

Our father, William Dennis Savage, died October 1, 2025 at the age of 85 in Boise, Idaho, surrounded by loved ones.  Dennis was born April 27, 1940 in Ontario, Oregon, to Damon and Gwendolyn Savage.  Dennis was the youngest of 8 children. 

Dennis attended Nyssa Schools and graduated from Nyssa High School in 1958.  He started his college studies in the veterinary field but later focused on education.  Dennis taught school, coached various sports, served as a principal and superintendent for more than 35 years.  He worked in the Baker, Nyssa, and Harper School Districts.  Dennis was also responsible for starting the Migrant Summer School Programs in Malheur County in the 1970’s.  

Dennis is survived by his loving wife, Kay.  His children, Wendi (Todd Peterson); Laura Clark; Amanda (Mark) Alvarado; Jennifer Lopez; Belinda (Max) Arvidson; Damon (Sara) Savage; Mark (Rachelle) Savage; Shandall (Daniel) Banner.  Dennis is also survived by 27 grandchildren with 1 on the way, and 10 great grandchildren.  Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, Damon and Gwendolyn; his siblings Elsie Ilene, John, James (Jim), Laura Chadwick Peterson, June Savage Hartley, David (Dave), and Donald (Donny). 

Viewing will be held Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Nyssa Stake House.  Funeral services will be Friday, October 10, 2025, with viewing from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.  Funeral service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Internment will follow at Hilltop Cemetery, Nyssa, Oregon.

William Dennis Savage was a lifelong Nyssa Bulldog.  As such, his family requests that in lieu of flowers, monetary donations be made to the Nyssa High School Athletics Program in his name.  Go Bulldogs!

Arrangements are under the direction of Morrison Funeral Home, located in Rupert, Idaho

LIFE SKETCH

William Dennis Savage was born in Ontario, Oregon on April 27, 1940, to William Damon Savage and Gwendolyn Batty.  He was the youngest of 8 children and as he told it, he was his mother’s favorite.  Dennis was raised in Nyssa and attended Nyssa Schools for his whole career.  In high school he was known by the nickname “Ace”.  He was a 4-year letterman in football and track.  He participated in Hi-Y and was in FFA for all 4 years of his high school career.  He was known for being the littlest man on the football field.  I was also told that by all accounts, he was “movie star handsome”.  His favorite saying was, “Don’t get wise!”  I will not bore you by recounting the number of times that I may or may not have been told that… Dad also willed his little red Ford to the Fire Department. Community minded even then.  In high school, dad said his ambition was to be a horse and cow doctor.  That’s what grandpa Damon wanted him to be.  After a year a veterinary school dad decided that wasn’t his thing, and he shifted his focus to education, which became his lifelong journey. Dad received his undergraduate degrees at Eastern Oregon University; a master’s in biology at George Peabody/Vanderbilt University and his superintendent and principal certificate at the University of Oregon. 

Dennis obtained his first teaching job in Baker City, Oregon, where he worked for a year at Helen Stack Junior High until he obtained a position in Nyssa in 1967.  He remained at Nyssa School District for the majority of his career.  He served the Nyssa School District in various capacities as a football and wrestling coach, teacher, principal for 10 years and completed his service after 23 years as superintendent.  Dad also worked at getting Migrant Summer School to Nyssa.  He believed that all children should have the opportunity to gain an education.  I remember dad buying boxes of ice cream bars and going into the migrant labor camps.  He would hand out ice cream and encourage families to send their kids to summer school while they were working in the fields.  Education was not just a job; it was his life.  Dad had a mind like a steel trap.  He was ambitious and was a whiz with money.  He was instrumental in helping Nyssa build a new elementary school.  Dad worked tirelessly finding ways to make things happen and do it without placing a large financial burden on the community which he loved so much.  Dad worked for the Nyssa District at reduced pay to help with the district’s new track project.  With the district saving more than $40,000 a year, $170,000 was channeled over 4 years into that project.  Combined with a $150,000 contribution from Joe Albertson and $50,000 from the Nyssa Sports Boosters, Nyssa got a $400,000 all-weather complex.  In an interview with the Argus Observer, dad was quoted as saying, “I was born here, and I will die here, so it was important to me to end my career here when things are positive.”  Relationships with the community, school board members, teachers and classified staff were very important to him; however, what dad appreciated most were all the students he came into contact over the 33 years he spent at Nyssa.  He said he would never miss them “because I will always be around and Nyssa will always be my home.”  His journey didn’t stop there.  Dennis then went to work as the Principal/Superintendent at the Harper School District until he eventually retired in 2007. Dad was also a representative of the Oregon School Activities Association for the Greater Oregon League.

Beyond his service to the public school system, Dennis served his community.  He had no hidden agendas; he was not a resume builder.  He genuinely loved the Nyssa community.  He believed he would be a positive contributing member and we agree.   Dad served this community in the Nyssa Kiwanis Club, Nyssa Lions Club, where he always worked the chicken dinners at Thunderegg Days; the Nyssa Chamber of Commerce.  Dad served as president of each of those organizations.  He was also an Honorary Nyssa Police Officer, was a member of the Malheur County Historical Society, served on the Malheur Memorial Hospital Board, he delivered holiday food boxes, worked with Meals on Wheels, worked concessions at the Nyssa Nite Rodeo, and taught DUI Classes. 

I do not remember a time that my dad did not work. When school was out in the summers dad worked for local farmers driving truck.  As I understand it, one of his employers, Bob Peterson was pretty tolerant of dad’s driving skills, as they were not on par with his superintendent skills.  In fact, it is alleged that dad backed into someone’s fancy new pickup and they weren’t angry at all.  I was told that the nice lady’s reply was, “Don’t worry Dennis, I’ll just go get a new one.”  Dad always worked hard and he taught us to work hard as well.  Some of our fondest memories now, (not then of course) were those of all the farm work we did.  We bucked bales of hay, set irrigation tubes, grew vegetables, fed pigs, (remember going through cafeteria garbage from summer school for pig slop?), took care of BLM horses, raised chickens; all the things you would do on a farm.  I must say that in the first few years on the farm dad had a unique crew….3 girls, as Damon and Mark were not old enough to work.  I do believe though, that those special times with dad are what made us the women we are today.  Did you know that there are 3 perfect farm tools?  We do.  You can fix anything with 1. Electrical tape and 2. Orange twine.  Black electrical tape.  Not blue, not red.  Dad had rolls and rolls of it.  At any time, dad had between 10 and 25 partial rolls laying around the farm and in his tool box. Not to mention the wads of it you would find on the bottom of your shoe when you were walking around outside.  I am sure that if you looked in his toolbox, jockey box or pocket right now, you would find some.  He would even go to Harbor Freight to buy more…. you could never have enough.  Dad also had an aversion to poison around the farm.  We learned to burn kosha weeds and pull goat heads.  Burning weeds was, I think, his favorite.  He loved to use the 3^rd tool…the propane torch…he lit it, sometimes using a small amount of gasoline.  A puff of smoke and he was off.  Leaving us farm hands to stomp out runaway flames.  All kidding aside, dad taught us the value of hard work.  He often said, “When you work for someone, give 100%.  Once you complete the job, do a little extra.” 

Dad enjoyed the outdoors. Dad taught us to respect nature.  He taught us to hunt and to fish.  He spent a lot of time with my brother Damon doing that because he knew it would bring him great joy.  Damon said that dad also taught him to be thankful to the lord always…whether he was successful or not.

 Dad had a wonderful sense of humor.  In 2008 he posted a photo with the Argus Observer wishing my brother Mark a happy 29^th birthday.  It said “returning from a long, hard ride on his favorite horse, Mr. Chester.”  There was a picture as well. The joke being that Mr. Chester was a Shetland Pony and Markie was 6 foot tall.  Dad also made sure he took care of little sister Shandallrella.  She had 2 evil step sisters, Dukarella and Markarella.   When Shandall was in high school in Harper, dad made sure she had the best of everything.  Princess had 5 pairs of basketball shoes; personalized basketball shoes.  And to ensure the other team feared her, he listed her height as 5’6” when the girl was barely 5’3’’.  Who remembers the tune “Froggy Went a Courtin’”?  Sister Bo does.  Daddy always made up little songs.  Ask Shandall about the song “I Know A Girl…”  Dad loved to go shopping for treasures.  Second hand stores, Deseret Industries, Big Box…he would rummage through bins looking for deals. “Look at this!  Hey, look here!”  He loved going to Golden Corral for lunch when he and Jennifer went on those outings.  He would often call her and say, “When I win the lottery, I won’t forget you, Mabel.” I will always remember what dad told me… (besides Don’t get wise).  “Every child, no matter who they are, or where they are from, deserve an education.”  Those words have stuck with me.  I hope that I have honored him with my life and my work in the public school system. 

Dennis excelled at sports in school and that excellence and love of sport lives on through his children.  One of dad’s greatest joys was watching my brothers play sports.  When we had our own families, dad could be found in the stands cheering on our own children…Frank the Tank, Cub, and Johnny Mace.  Dad was and is a proud grandfather and great grandfather.

Dennis not only served the community, the public school system, and his family, he served the Lord.  Dennis loved his Heavenly Father and was grateful for all the gifts his father bestowed on him.  Dennis joined the church in 1971 by way of Elder Morrow and Elder Sedlak who were serving missions in the Nyssa, Oregon area.  Dad held many callings: he was a counselor in the Nyssa 2^nd Ward Bishopric under Bishop Burdette Pratt.  He also served in the Boy Scouts Program under the legendary Scout Master Daniel B. Ellsworth.  Dad loved that calling.  But the calling he cherished the most above all others was his calling to work in the nursery.  He truly loved his nursery children, and the opportunity to spend time with them each week.

 Dennis leaves behind a large family that will miss him dearly.  He was truly our hero, our protector, our role model, our toughest critic, our friend; our big papa daddy, the Old Bull. Our world will be a bit darker without him in it.  He is survived by his loving companion and wife, Kay Savage; his children, Wendi (Todd) Peterson, Laura Clark, Amanda (Mark) Alvarado, Jennifer Lopez, Belinda (Max) Arvidson, Damon (Sara) Savage, Mark (Rachelle) Savage, Shandall (Daniel) Banner; 27 grandchildren plus 1 on the way, and 10 great grandchildren.  Dennis is also survived by nephews and nieces too numerous to count.  Dennis was preceded in death by his father Damon and beloved mother Gwendolyn, his siblings Elsie Ilene, John, James, Laura, June, David and Donald.

When my father was a young boy, a teacher once wrote in a folder that would follow him through school, “I have a lot of concern about Dennis.  He is a very destructive boy.” Long time friend, Gerald Talbot confirms this.  He says, “he sure was a hellion.” 

In closing I would like to say that the William Dennis Savage Legacy lives on…in our hearts, our minds, our hopes, our dreams and our successes and even our failures which we learn from.  Always a lesson.  Always a teaching moment. Daddy, we hope we have made you proud, and that we continue to.  We love you.

Daddy entered heaven on October 1, 2025. I would like to leave you with this verse, hoping it will bring you comfort while we celebrate the greatest man we have ever known and had the greatest honor in calling our father.

 

Open your heart to God’s daily grace.

Choose peace over worry.

Trust His timing in every season.

Overcome fear with faith.

Bless others with kindness.

Embrace His Word as your anchor.

Rest in His unfailing love.

A LIVE WEBCAST WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: https://zoom.us/j/8700091521?pwd=UTkrSWhUcy9qcFBxRjdHTFF6cllNQT09

Condolences:

The purpose of life is to have a life of purpose and after reading about his amazing life, Mr. Savage definitely accomplished that. He was my superintendent throughout my school career in Nyssa and I had tremendous respect for him. Even seeing him over these past couple of years, he could put anyone's name to their face and strike up a conversation. My condolences to the family.
Jaime Grimaldo Jr.
Nyssa High Class of 1999

Aunt Kay, May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow and as the days and weeks pass and return to your life’s routine, may you continue to feel comforted by the love and support from GOD, friends and family. We loved him and it goes without saying he was a good man. May God Bless you and your families hearts soon to be filled with wonderful memories, with Dennis, of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived. Think of the GREAT reunion he is having with ALL his loved ones that have passed before. Love Charles and SueAnn

Our deepest condolences go out to you and Dennis's entire family.
​Please know that our hearts are with you during this time of profound grief. ​We pray that the love, peace, and comfort of the Master's hands surround you every single day. May healing and the kindest mercies be your constant companion, and may the reassurance of his loving arms give you strength to navigate the days ahead. Love you! -Mike Cook

Daddy… I cant sleep. I miss you sooo much. Im scared. You are my hero. My life wont be the same without you. You made me feel soo safe because you made everything alright no matter what happened. I never had to worry because I have superman as my father. I hope you visit me from time to time. I'll always visit your grave. I hope I can find a place that I feel your influence. I need guidance. I need you. Mark Savage