Dennis Leonard Power

Remembering Dennis Leonard Power

Dennis Leonard Power, a resident of San Francisco, was born on August 12, 1953, in Boston, MA, the third of six children born to George and Mary Power. He grew up in Norfolk, a small rural town 20 miles southwest of Boston. He spent his childhood playing little league baseball, riding his bike, fishing, playing touch football and ice hockey with his brothers and friends on the ponds behind his home, and roaming the woods of the Audubon sanctuary next door. Dennis was energetic, friendly and outgoing, always joking and teasing, and quick to laugh. He was a good athlete and played several sports including football and track and field, for King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham.  

Upon graduating high school in 1970, Dennis attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he received his bachelor’s degree in political science in 1974. He moved to Chicago and began working for the Social Security Administration, but after a few years he tired of the cold weather and moved to San Francisco where he spent the remainder of his career working for Pacific Gas and Electric until retiring in 2012. During his years at PG&E, Dennis worked as a programmer and a data analyst. In his final position in the Metering Service Department, he was responsible for tracking and maintaining records on over 20 million gas and electric meters. He created reports and did data mining for the entire company.

In 1993 Dennis met Cora Viana, also a programmer at PG&E, and they began a long and loving relationship that lasted 32 years. They traveled together visiting many places including France, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Canada, New York, New Orleans, Chicago, Washington DC, Seattle, and Las Vegas. He particularly enjoyed their trips to Hawaii, Belgium, and the Philippines. After his retirement, as his physical and mental capacities waned, Cora watched over his care loyally, diligently and lovingly, helping him make the move to care facilities that could meet his changing needs. His love for her was evident in the way his face would light up with a smile when she entered the room and how he would reach out for her hand.

Dennis remained a sports enthusiast throughout his life, even finding a way to play ice hockey at 3am when he first arrived in California, but he never surrendered his allegiance to the Boston Celtics, the Red Sox or the New England Patriots. Despite these loyalties he never stopped challenging his brothers and sisters with “when are you going to move to California?” He loved his life there and never regretted having chosen it.

Dennis passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at the age of 71, following a long struggle with dementia. In addition to Cora Viana of San Francisco, Dennis is survived by his sisters, Mary DeNicola of East Falmouth, MA, and Eleanor Hoyle of Norton, MA, as well as his brother, David Power of Belmont, MA. His older brother Donald Power died in 2021, and his youngest brother Gary Power died in 2020.