A memorial mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, at St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Ames with Fr. Secora as celebrant. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the mass at the church. A Vigil Service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the church. Memorials may be directed to animal shelters in the givers own community in his memory.  The Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown is caring for Dennis and his family.

Born on Feb. 9, 1942, in Marshalltown, Dennis was the son of Rudolph "Rudy" and Rose (Polak) Vajgrt. He graduated from the Marshalltown High School's Class of 1960 and the University of Iowa's College of Business in 1964. While at the university, he met and later married Jane Asthalter on Oct. 2, 1965, in Muscatine.

The young couple moved to Colorado Springs where he served our country honorably in the United States Air Force at ENT Air Force Base. Dennis was also involved in the Air Force ROTC program while attending Iowa.

After his military career in Colorado Springs, they returned to his hometown to run his family business, Strand Baking, until selling.

This is when Dennis began a 30 year career in real estate, mainly working in the commercial market. He began with Kimberlin Real Estate and then Ed Mead before becoming one of the founding realtors of Preferred Realty.

The firm was sold and most recently became part of Coldwell-Banker Preferred Realty. While in Marshalltown, Dennis was active in the community and a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. He was currently a member of St. Cecelia's in Ames.

Left to cherish his memory are Jane, his loving wife of 45 years, and his daughters Julia (Jim) Crowley of Victoria, MN and their children Caroline, Benjamin, Olivia and Greyson; Maria (Tyler) Burton of Houston, TX and their children Raleigh, Foster, Sinclaire Rose and Finley Ann.

In death, Dennis rejoined his parents and brother Orin in infancy.