Dennis Warren DeRuyter, resident of Altamonte Springs, Florida, passed away peacefully on December 27, 2020 under the skilled care of Advent Health Hospice in Orlando.
Dennis was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 16, 1947. He was the oldest of five children born to Warren and Ethel DeRuyter. After graduating with honors from Milwaukee Tech High School, he attended Milwaukee Area Technical College, where he studied Commercial Photography, Marketing and Commercial Printing.
Dennis turned a hobby that began in a small darkroom in his parent’s basement into his life’s work as a professional photographer with a keen eye for beauty and the perfect shot. He married his only wife, Barbara (nee Rennhack), on February 5, 1970. In 1990, he founded AllStar Photographics in Florida.
An animated, jovial man, Dennis used his unique sense of humor to make his family and friends laugh. He loved to tell stories about his life, from his first apartment as a young man to meeting his favorite movie star, Charlton Heston, in person. A simple home cooked meal was his delight, and he specialized in making Italian spaghetti. He enjoyed movies, critiquing every scene thanks to his photographic and lighting experience. Dennis never missed a Green Bay Packers game. His personal hero was his Dad, and he always gifted his mother with a visit to her favorite hair salon.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents (named above), brother David, and mother to his children, Barbara. Loving Dad of Kevin DeRuyter and Melanie Tucker. Proud grandpa to Kristopher, Warren, Darren, and Dahlia. He will be dearly remembered by sisters Nancy (Peter) Kastenholz, Debbie (Scott) Bachar, Susan (John) Lamontagne, other relatives and friends.
Family members will memorialize Dennis privately at a future time and place.
Compass Pointe Funeral Services Obituaries Serving Central Florida 407.797.6200 
Dennis was my only brother. I knew him my whole life. Have not seen him since my father’s death in 2000 and my mother’s death in 2002, when I returned to Milwaukee to take care of their home hospice. I did not know Dennis was in a hospice facility in Florida.
Dennis was my brother-in-law. My dear wife, Susan M. LaMontagne, a.k.a. ‘Susie’ was his oldest sister, born three years after Dennis. They grew up together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before the much younger kids came along. We have several beautiful professional photographs of Dennis and Susie when they were young kids. We did not know Dennis was in a Florida hospice and are saddened to hear of his passing. I remember many good times with Dennis, like when we would play pool on my father-in-law’s pool table on Fifth Street in Milwaukee in the early 1980s. Sincere condolences to Dennis’ son Kevin and daughter Melanie DeRuyter-Tucker. We will remember the many good times with Dennis, his pretty deceased wife Barbara, Kevin, and Melanie.
As his sister, I remember traveling to Orlando and our time together through the years while Dennis was still full of life and laughter. His visits to Chicago included long walks on Michigan Avenue or to see the sites and dine at a classic downtown restaurant. On one trip, he ate more Greek food than anyone thought possible! Dennis had many needs at the end of his life and would have been happy to know how very important he was to his family who worked together to care for him with love. Even when not well, he had a remarkable ability to express the tenderness that was always in his heart. He spoke the names of his son, his daughter, his brother, and his Dad as most important to him in his final days.