Dennis "Denny" R. Forinash, a pilot, retired Air Force Lt. Col, beloved husband, father and son died unexpectedly on an airline layover in Chicago, IL on Friday July 7, 2017 at the age of 63. 

Dennis is survived by his wife Carla (Porter) Forinash; his children David Forinash and Erin (Forinash) Beck (Phil Beck); his parents James W Forinash and Waneda (Chapman) Forinash; his brothers James Dwayne Forinash (Linda) and Darrell J Forinash (Nancy). With others who have preceded him in death, Dennis has joined in heaven his in-laws James L Porter and Lorene (Cauley) Porter; his nephew Scott Porter; his Uncle Paul Chapman; among numerous other family and friends.

Dennis was born in Bonne Terre, MO on September 5, 1953, growing up in the home his parents built in his hometown, Irondale, MO. Upon graduating Leadwood High School, Dennis was appointed to the United States Air Force Academy in 1971 and graduated class of 1975. He married Carla Porter on June 28, 1975. After graduation, Dennis attended pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, OK for one year. Upon completion, he was assigned to the C-130 at McChord Air Force Base in Washington state, then flew the C-9 Nightingale medevac at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. Dennis and his family returned to Little Rock Air Force Base where he again flew the C-130. After his separation from the U.S. Air Force, Dennis was then in the reserves where he flew in Desert Storm with the 731st Airlift Squadron under the 302nd Airlift Wing. He was also hired by American Airlines in October 1988, where he initially flew as a First Officer and eventually upgraded to Captain as his present position at the time of his death. His career at American Airlines spanned for nearly 29 years  

He was a devoted family man, avid skier, snow boarder, hiker, Colorado Rockies fan and has traveled the world.  

A visitation will be held on Sunday, July 16, 2017 from 4pm-7pm at Swan-Law Funeral Directors at 501 N. Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. The funeral service is scheduled for Monday, July 17, 2017 at 10am at the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel.

Colorado Springs Gazette  |  July 2017

 

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Dennis “Denny” R. Forinash died tragically on July 7, 2017 when he was struck by a car while jogging across a road on an American Airlines layover in Chicago, Ill. Dennis was born in Bonne Terre, Missouri, on Sept. 5, 1953, growing up in the home his parents built in his hometown, Irondale, Missouri. 

Dennis was a 1975 United States Air Force Academy graduate. He married Carla on June 28, 1975, and is the father of a son, David, and a daughter, Erin. Dennis attended pilot training at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma. During his Air Force career, he flew the C-130 at McChord AFB, Washington, the C-9 medivac, Clark AFB, the Philippines, and the C-130, Little Rock AFB, Jacksonville, Arkansas.. 

Dennis was hired by American Airlines in October 1988. During his time at American, he flew as a first officerr on the 757, the 767 and eventually upgraded to captain on a S80 which was his position at the time of his death. His career at American Airlines spanned nearly 29 years. In 1990, Dennis joined the 731st Airlift Squadron flying the C-130 at Peterson AFB. While in the Air Force Reserves, he was activated and participated in Desert Storm. He served in the 731st Airlift Squadron until his retirement from the Air Force Reserves in 1996. 

Dennis was a family man, a pilot, a traveler, a Colorado Rockies fan, a hiker, a business partner for a dance studio, a skier, a snowboarder, full of generosity and so much more. He had this contagious laugh, even if what he said wasn’t funny or didn’t make sense you would be laughing along with him without even knowing why. He would call you... not big into texting... he preferred to talk with you, even if for just a brief exchange. With that said, he also was the king of butt dialing. Many of those who knew Dennis would get messages of swishing pants and airport announcements in the background. 

Dennis was also a connoisseur of great food; he very much enjoyed recreating different food dishes from the meals that he had enjoyed on his trips, and of course enjoying a Tito’s on the rocks. He was always willing to give advice and guidance for family and friends; he knew the best way to get you on a flight whether it was for an emergency or just taking a vacation. 

Adventurous is another word to describe Dennis. To name a few adventures, he took on the challenge of climbing the Manitou Springs incline, zip-lining, hiking Hanging Lake and exploring multiple National Parks on his vacation travels. He was an avid skier starting from the time he was at the Air Force Academy as a cadet, and then taking on snowboarding in his late 50s. 

He would be smiling and laughing, but as soon as the camera came out this stoic look would appear on his face, so we had to catch him in those candid moments to get a really good smile. We will always remember his contagious laughter, silly “dad jokes”, unwavering support and love he had for his family. 

Dennis’ loving family  |  Checkpoints Magazine, December 2017

 

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We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own - DFW-based Captain Dennis Forinash. On Friday, July 7, 2017, Dennis was struck and killed by a car while jogging in Chicago on layover. 

Dennis graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1975. He flew the C-130 during Desert Storm and the C-9 Nightingale medevac. He was stationed at both Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines and McChord Air Force Base in Washington state. Dennis came to American in October 1988.

Our deepest condolences to Dennis’ wife, Carla, their daughter Erin and son David. Please keep their family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. 

Our team’s primary focus is to support the family and their needs through this extraordinarily difficult time. A special thanks to Envoy in Chicago including the leadership, customer service managers, agents, flight attendants and pilots; the ORD HCC; the Care Team; Project Wingman; the DFW and ORD Chief Pilots’ offices; and APA. The outpouring of support for Dennis and his family has been truly overwhelming.

Captain Kimball Stone, American Airlines  |  July 2017