Dennis Linn Kotenbrink

Dennis Linn Kotenbrink, 67, passed away peacefully with family by his side on October 26, 2024, after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.  A private funeral service will be held with burial in the Hampton Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sietsema-Atkinson Funeral Home in Hampton.

Dennis was born in Mason City, Iowa to Darwin and Darlene (Paulus) Kotenbrink on June 25, 1957, and grew up on the family farm SW of Hampton.  He attended Hampton schools, graduating in 1976.  In 1977, he married Linda Johnson and they had 3 children, Cory, Brent and Crystal. They divorced in 2001, and Denny married Mona (Bierl) Weismann in 2004 and welcomed her daughter Brianna to his family.  In 2014, Denny and Mona adopted granddaughter Emilie Weismann after the unexpected death of her mother, Brianna.  

Denny worked at Birdsell’s grocery store after school, before going to work for AC Benton at the John Deere Implement store. After graduation, Denny attended night courses to learn more about farm implement repair & air conditioning, and took many John Deere classes in Waterloo.  Then in February of 1982, he opened his own agriculture repair shop, known at Denny’s Implement & Repair, for 26 years before selling the business to Brent in 2008.  Denny continued working on small engines, lawn & garden products, and snowblowers until 2023.

Family was very important to Denny, so he enjoyed taking his family on vacations, getting everyone together for lots of birthday parties and Holiday dinners, and just plain barbeques!  And the best part of family is having grandchildren!!

Denny was an avid fisherman, instilling the love of the sport in all of his children! He loved taking the kids ice fishing in the winter at Clear Lake.  However, he always wanted to have a fishing boat for the warmer months.  In 2006, he finally purchased his “baby”, a 17.5 ft Crestliner boat and Denny & Mona purchased a lot on Lake Mille Lacs, in Minnesota and made it their summertime retreat, many weekends with grandkids there as well!  In 2019, they were finally able to spend all summer there, which was a lifelong dream of Denny’s!  In later years, Denny and Mona took several cruises, especially a memorable one to Alaska with his parents and sister, Debbie.  Another memorable trip was with both sets of parents to Branson for Christmas!  They were also very fortunate to travel through most of the United States.

Denny firmly believed in God and that Jesus was his Savior, even though his faith was a quiet one.  He was a loving father and husband, as well as a good friend to many, always there no matter what.  He truly loved with all his heart, and would do anything for anyone and never judge.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife Mona of 20+ years, sons Cory and Brent (Jennifer), daughters Crystal and Emilie, grandchildren Rachel (Devin) Cornish, Makayla Nolte (with 1st great-grandson on the way) & special friend Chase Koenigsfeld, Kaitlyn Soderberg, Joshua Soderberg, Landon Kotenbrink, Dillon Nolte, Blake Kotenbrink, Haley Kotenbrink and Austin Kotenbrink, as well as sisters Debbie (Jay) Leeman and Dawn (Jon) Wright, several uncles, cousins and many friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents (Darwin and Darlene), parents-in-law (Don and Darlene Bierl), daughter Brianna Weismann, and heavenly great-granddaughter Blakelyn Kay.