He died in a car accident yesterday afternoon. He will be missed by many.
Rest in peace Dennis....
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He died in a car accident yesterday afternoon. He will be missed by many.
Rest in peace Dennis....
Regrets and much love sent to all the Lynch family as well as his many friends. Blessings sent! RIP
Oh man... did Dennis hang out at DeBar occationally? Glad I got to spend some time with him last reach.
((((dennis, family & friends))))
Sorry to hear this, prayers and sympathy to his family.
Sad news. I hope someone can take care of the goats.
This is such sad news to hear about Dennis.
Spent many hours and days on the cliffs with Dennis, reasoning about life.
When I was first diagnosed with RA, Dennis said things to me that gave me a perspective I don't think I could have achieved on my own.
Dennis recited the 23rd Psalm, when we put our dear friend Jeff's ashes out to sea, off the cliffs at Whoopies.
My heart and prayers go out to the Lynch family. The Lynch family has suffered so many losses in the past few years.
May God give them the strength to endure the difficult times ahead. May they find comfort and peace in their memories, and knowing that Dennis was loved and will be missed by many people from all over the world.
Rest peacefully Dennis, I will never forget you. Godspeed
So sad. We would make a hammock park visit part of every trip. I bet over the last 20 or so years we have lost at least a dozen friends and acquaintances to hit and runs or car accidents on the island. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
A friend of mine from Negril left a message for me last evening letting me know. However, the message was garbled, as his cell reception was poor, and I was unable to reach him when I called back. I was hoping that I got the message wrong. The West End and all of Negril has lost a wonderful man and I've lost a good friend. Prayers and sympathy to his family. RIP, Dennis.
what a bummer :(
Many times after getting something to eat from Out of Town Pastry we would go hang out in the hammocks & ponder the 'meaning of life'.
Dennis was always a good host, he will be missed.....
Very sad news indeed. We also have spent many of days sitting with Dennis talking about life and enjoying both his stories and his beautiful area. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to all that loved him. My husband has gone through a few of his shirts, he will be greatly missed.
I am SO SAD! Dennis was a GREAT MAN. He will be greatly missed.
Rest in PEACE good friend.
Thank you Rob for keeping us aware so we may support those that need us at times like these.
So sorry to hear Every year we visit with Dennis, Frank has known him for many years. Will keep his family in our prayers
A rum and orange juice ( squeezed by hand ) will never be the same. He was an important part of our Negril. One time we asked the name of one of the goats and in his quiet soft tone replied, New Years Dinner. We are going to miss a good friend. Our thoughts are with the family.
Thank you Rob for passing this information on. For a few years I thought Dennis was a sour hard person. THEN I saw him interract with a couple of kids and realized how wrong I was. I will never forget watching a goat have twins while sitting with Dennis. I said "How many goats do you have? " Dennis grins and replied " two more " You cant pick your last moment-- make em all good
Dennis was and always will be one of my most favorite people in the world, a very special person, my heart breaks for his lovely family, he will be greatly missed
May he rest in peace.
I'm so sad.. Five times in Jamaica, five times in Negril, but the most interest was going to West End, because there was a special man... Certainly out of schemes, but before having really known the man, no one should have judged him ! He was wise, respectful likewise you respected him, able to stay long time silently, as a perfect solitary man, but suddenly he wanted to speak and laugh with you, while squeezing an orange and making that fantastic orange-rum !
The first time i nicknamed him "Morgan", because he looked like the actor Morgan Freeman.
West End will not be the same without Dennis, but Whoopees Park and Dennis soul will survive forever !!
Next time in Jamaica will be very different !!
R.I.P. dear Dennis
Fabio from Italy
i think to express also the mind of my friends Big Giovanni, Little Giovanni, Iolando and Daniele
ONE LOVE
My husband and I have known Dennis nearly three decades. We talked of spirits, plants, goats, choices, and families. He was a wise and thoughtful man. Though some found him "grumpy" they didn't know the depth of his heart. He protected the weak and suffered no fools. At Whoopee's Park, we met many great friends from around the world. Year after year we would meet at sunset. No one prepared a rum drink like him. He washed his hands, he washed the glasses, he washed his knife, he washed the oranges. He cracked the ice in his hands and filled the glass with the ice shards. He then poured an over pour of Appleton special. After squeezing the orange juice he topped off the glass with the nectar from his strong hands. He let the juice go over the top and then wiped the glass with a towel, grabbed a coaster from his center post, and placed the drink in front of me with both hands always wishing me long life as I took my first sip of each trip to Negril. Jah Bless him and his family. He will be so missed by hundreds of visitors who made a stop at his park to watch the goats romp before he penned them at sunset. One Love to Dennis and to those who will miss him greatly.
Teacha, beautiful sentiments, I understand completely. Dennis and the Lynch family have been a big influence and part of my life for over 30 years also. Out of everyone in Jamaica, I always said if I ever really got in a rough spot, or needed help of any kind, I would go to Dennis a.k.a. The Godfather! Rest peacefully mi fren. <3
876 began appearing on phones yesterday, the news is devastating.
The luxury of driving in Negril is that as others get up in the morning and walk the beach I can cruise west end often culiminateing with a morning chat at Whoopies. What a true gentleman, old school to the core, a philosopher with an earthy tone, a lover of music.
40 some trips to the island with multiple Dennis visits on each led Dennis to be my mentor on many things Jamaican and share an awful lot of life.
Dennis and I did not have a camera type of relationship. But friends and family have shared over the years, I've spent some time tonight re-visiting memories.
http://www.mydeo.com/videorequest.as...923&CID=326003
Thanks for sharing this tribute, Chet. Tears are flushing the night sand from my eyes this morning. Respect --Marblehead
I always felt the same way.Quote:
Originally Posted by countryman
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful tribute! So many memories that will never leave us. I don't think that I will ever have a freshly squeezed OJ/vodka..without thinking of Dennis and his goats. Respect....
That was a BEAUTIFUL tribute..........he was a man to remember!
"I don't think that I will ever have a freshly squeezed OJ/vodka..without thinking of Dennis and his goats. Respect.." Thank you Yetta I was beginning to think that I was the only one taking vodka with my juice
When he re-thatched the last time we brought a cooler of beer in in the afternoon and shared with the thirsty crew, a touristy couple walks though the the gate wire - past the pick up truck full of fronds - around the home made ladder and machetes up to the shirtless bedraggled crew and orders a drink,,,,, his reply was Dennis classic
2 Octobers ago he was doing a lot of farm work and understood by us didn't want to open in the slow season, we laughed and with his approval brought the oranges, ice, appletons and vodka and opened Chetoopies, it was such a nice conversation with him being the guest, his wife even came over for a while
I'll share a conversation I shared this morning with a group of guys some I've known since kindergarten and some of which have joined us in Negril...
News of his passing was one of the first to bring tears to my eyes in many a year.
He was old school, one of the original Negril Cliff families that had witnessed kerosene lamp to todays technology transition through his 70 years. On one side of West End Road was his beautiful green energy before green energy block home and orchard, on the other a thatched roof bar facing west perched on lava rock cliffs 30 feet above some of the most Listerine blue sea your eyes have ever been burned by. He was old school, my grandfather born in the 1880’s, husbander of every plant and creature domesticated and wild on his property and Dennis would have gotten along famousely. He was old school, when you rebuild thatch after a storm you don’t take the quick and easy nail it to a beam way out, you pull down the 3rd & fourth frond on each side and tie them to the frond beneath, time consuming back breaking, but the right way. He did not suffer fools well and I imagine to some he seemed harsh, to me and mine he was gentle protective and soft. He was old school in music, but through his clientel was well schooled in the new, he loved a certain crooner style and jazz, oh how I loved sitting and sharing as the distant waves and tradewind swept thatch played background to his deep low melodies. He was simple, smooth, easy by culture, but quick to grasp the deepest of theories on subjects from brain function to technology advances.
The luxury I afford myself in driving in Ja is that many a morning I would drive to the far end of West End Road get a drivers breakfast of pattie and shot of overproof from Dennis’s brothers shop and wander back down to sit and share with Dennis as he raked grape tree leafs and counted the goats making their way to day pasture interspersed with conversation and a smoke. Often to roll Coleen back up and spend mid morning sipping on orange juice and vodka.
Each trip I take a light to Jamaica with me, million candle power rechargeable spot, a 4 c maglite, different each trip, light is good in a 3rd world country where current can be shaky, trips to the hills in the night contain no street lights and sea ray walking in the dark is an experience to be witnessed. The morning on the travel out day each trip I would take one last drive up and my light would become Dennis’s. Last seen was last day in in October last year, little said during the exchange, but in that understanding comfortable contract between friends we knew that we will be the same tomorrow as 6 months from now and the agreement though unsaid was I will see you again brother you are part of my life.
40 trips many memorable moments.
Coleen and I got the Mustang (64 1/2 convertible) out today and did a little 100+ mile jaunt on farm to market roads over to the Des Moines River valley and floated dowm through Keosauqa, Bentensport, Bonaparte and Farmington, our 289 horses competed with amish 1 horse buggys during part of the trip, new portable i-pod lithium battery technology in a 50 year old car let us share some of Dennis's favorites and the tissue did appear a couple times,,,,, good man lost
The deep Westend will never be quite the same. RIP Dennis...........
Chet & Coleen that video was a beautiful dedication to Dennis. R.I.P. Dennis
Chet, that was a wonderful compilation of photos. I especially liked the song and the seldom heard harmonica in a reggae song. Who sang the song?
Regards,
Bob
Marley & The Wailers did it in 2 versions - Wailin Soul & Pounder
Ziggy released it with Willie Nelson here a while back, I think it is a kid's version, they do a choo choo choo thing in it that has to be young directed - it has your reggae back beat feel
I like the harp in the Bunny Wailer version which I used in the wmv
Great post, Chet and Coleen ...
Attachment 29739Attachment 29740Attachment 29741 Such a beautiful tribute, Chet and Colleen. Dennis holds so many memories in my life, also. He will be dearly missed by many. Prayers of strength and healing to all of the Lynch family. RIP Dennis ~Bless~
Nice, Chet and Colleen. I always bring a light too (usually solar flashlight) and at the end of my trip I give it to the person who provided the most light during my stay. always greatly appreciated!
Respect for the pictures Hoobus & Countryman
I hear "hayy" when I see your first one Countryman
One time my wife and I stopped out to Whoopies mid afternoon after leaving Cosmos where we had spent the morning and lunch. Just us, the goats and Dennis making rum and OJs. Teacha describes the ritualistic preparation. Holy water that brings on the green flash. Whoopies is the only place I've ever seen it so I know that I'm right. We talked of many things, fools and kings and this is what he said to me after a jolly group showed up to break the spell, "I liked it better when it was just the three of us."
Lovely slideshow Chet and Coleen .
Linda and I would stop for a beautiful early morning view from Hammock Park on our walks from Seastar to Out of Town Pastry before Dennis opened. (he would not have approved)
Chet & Coleen thank you for such a deep, emotional tribute to such a sweet, kind man. I hope that you don't mind if I share this with my friends who have also traveled to the deep West End to partake in his wonderful hospitality and view. He will be greatly missed by many and we can only hope that the goats will have a special new herder.
It is more than 15 years I go in Negril in January.
Every day of my stay I wait for 5 pm and drive to Dennis park,it is basicly the only aim of my holiday.
I am so sad about this news that almost I don't want to believe.....
It is difficult to fully express why it was so nice but it was and I am wondering if there is in the world a so unique character that can replace him but we all know that there is not.
RIP Dennis Giorgio and Anna from Italy
Days of Joy...
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