Dennis “Denny” R. Tefft, 75, of Butler, passed away suddenly Thursday at Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center from complications of pneumonia and COPD.

If you asked him though, he’d blame the breakfast.

A gregarious man, he was known by many names: Denny, Den, Dad, Grandpa, Den Bug, Gramps, Den Bob, Grand-poo, Spider, Father Spider, Old Goat, Aqua Terror, Chester, Denardo, Pooh Bear and Defendant.

From 1980 until his retirement in 2006, he co-owned Spider’s Den, a motorcycle leather goods company. Before that, he was an independent sales representative for the motorcycle and snowmobile industry. The stories he could tell of the colorful folks he met could fill volumes.

He served in the U.S. Army during the late 1960s as an MP (the irony was not lost on him) at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., where he served his country by taste-testing cervezas and valiantly defending its borders against rogue tarantulas.

He enjoyed his time with family, especially his grandchildren, and with friends. He was known to be “the life of the party.”

After a serious car accident in 2014, he was working his way back to golfing and was pleased he could spend time hiking and puttering around in his beloved woods. He was also known for his sense of humor and wit and was a frequent patron of Butler Public Library.

Born June 16, 1942, in Jamestown, N.Y., he is survived by two daughters, Karen Grabowski and her husband, David, of Mt. Laurel, N.J., and Shannon Janes and her husband, Clark, of Cedar Park, Texas.

He also had four grandchildren, Catherine Janes, David and Cassandra Grabowski and Ian Janes. He is also survived by his siblings, Alan Tefft and his wife, Sharon, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Dale Tefft of Jamestown, N.Y., and Cheryl Ostrowski of Buffalo, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Myrtle Tefft of Jamestown, N.Y.

TEFFT — Dennis “Denny” R. Tefft, who died Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, will be interred at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Lakewood, N.Y., with a private ceremony.

A memorial reception for friends will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Butler Legion.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Butler Area Public Library.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Hile Funeral Home of Chicora.

For more information or to leave a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.