Dennis John O'Rourke, 86, of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, husband of Nancy O'Rourke, entered into eternal rest Wednesday, August 19, 2026. His memorial service will be held Saturday, August 29 at the Isle of Palms.

Dennis was born October 18, 1939, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, son of the late Donald Joseph O'Rourke and Mary Bartell O'Rourke.

Dennis lived an extraordinary life. He and Nancy shared nearly 60 years of marriage and together raised seven unique children. One of his greatest gifts was his ability to have a close and special relationship with each of them. His children knew they could call him about anything and he would be there in a heartbeat. He always had their backs, while still having a way of gently guiding them in the right direction when needed.

Denny, as he was known to so many, was outgoing and gregarious. He would talk to anyone, anywhere, and loved to banter. He was a great friend and mentor and maintained friendships throughout his life.

Dennis was also an accomplished industrial engineer and businessman. He began his career with Pan American World Airways at Cape Canaveral, working with port cranes, missile recovery, launch safety, and astronaut recovery during the Mercury and Gemini space programs. He later worked as a safety engineer for Aetna and served as Director of the Crane Inspection Certification Bureau.

In 1981, Dennis founded National Crane Services, Inc., a crane and rigging safety, training, inspection, and certification company that continues today with his son and daughter-in-law at the helm. He was a past President of the Crane Certification Association of America and spent decades advancing crane and rigging safety. Dennis never fully retired. Later in life, he became a regular contributor to Wire Rope News & Sling Technology, writing “Denny’s Notes” and other feature articles and sharing a lifetime of technical knowledge and experience.

Dennis loved animals of all kinds. He faithfully fed the deer, ducks, birds, turtles, raccoons, and whatever other creatures found their way to him. He adopted donkeys and sent money to the many animal shelters and organizations. We know that he is now with his beloved dog, Ike.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Nancy; four sons, David (Kathy), Douglas (Donna), Jeffrey (La Donna ), and Donald (Linda); three daughters, Kelly (Charles), Ashli (Savies), and Jennifer (Tim); 12 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Dennis lived a full 86 years, and his greatest legacy is the family he built, the relationships he nurtured, the people he taught and mentored, and the absolute certainty his children always had that if they needed their dad, he would be there.

Rest in peace, Denny. You were the absolute best, and you will be missed more than words can say.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to: https://www.littlelongears.org/ a 501(c)(3) Charity that rescues and rehabilitates miniature donkeys. It was one of Dennis’ favorite charities. Alternatively, please give to your local humane animal shelter. A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting the J. Henry Stuhr website.