Obituary of Dennis Doberneck, 77
Dennis Doberneck.
Paso Robles, California
Dennis Doberneck
Nov. 9, 1947 – March 31, 2025
– Dennis Anthony Doberneck, born November 9, 1947, passed away on March 31, 2025, age 77.
Dennis was born and reared in Petaluma, California, with his brother John, when much of the North Bay was still undeveloped ranches and wide open spaces. He graduated from St. Vincent High School, class of 1965. Dennis left the North Bay to begin his journey at Sacramento State University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree. During college, he worked as a smokejumper for the Forest Service during the 1966-1967 seasons. He had dreams of becoming a Game Warden or State Park Ranger. State Parks came calling first. With his first wife, Kathy and small baby and no time to wait around for Fish and Game, Dennis took his first position as a Park Aide at Anadel before being hired as a State Park Ranger at Salt Point State Park.
Soon, another baby joined the family. Dennis promoted and moved many times during his career with State Parks – Annadel State Park, Big Basin Redwoods, Malibu State Park, and Hungry Valley State Park. Hungry Valley is where Dennis’s volunteering with the Hunter Education program began. Responding to an ad in the paper, Dennis was soon joined by his co-teacher Steve Newman and they both taught locally in Frazier Park and Lebec for many years. Dennis thoroughly enjoyed his time in the mountains of the Grapevine. In fact, he returned there regularly over the next few decades to hunt deer. In 1984, Dennis and Pat married, and while in Frazier Park, they ran a yogurt shop for a few years, and also kept busy with work and volunteering. Dennis was promoted to District Superintendent of Oceano Dunes and remained there until his retirement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in 2001.
He was many things, a husband, a brother, a father, a great and grandfather, a park ranger, a dedicated volunteer, a hunter, a teacher, an author, and more.
Not one to stay idle, Dennis filled his post-retirement days with even more volunteering in Paso Robles, where he continued to teach Hunter Education, staying very busy co-teaching six classes a year starting in 2009. He also taught Hunter Education to the National Wild Turkey Federation Women in the Outdoors Program and served on the NWTF local committee. Dennis was also the area chairman for the local Ducks Unlimited chapter for some time. He worked with Friends of the NRA to put on what is typically the largest fundraising event in State.
Dennis had a lifelong passion for the great outdoors. A dedicated duck and deer hunter, he got his start in hunting from his friends at around 10 years old. Dennis’s passion took him to the indoor shooting range in town and chasing ducks and pheasants in Petaluma marshes. Dennis considered himself lucky because his father had a lot of family and friends with ranches. This gave him an almost unlimited access to many areas of the county. Dennis became an avid duck hunter and has fond memories of hunting the marshes in and around Fallon, California. In later years, Dennis made annual deer hunts in the San Emigdio Mountains near Frazier Park, and made successful excursions near Independence in the Sierra Nevada for deer, and to the highlands of Wyoming on a pronghorn hunt.
Dennis was a gifted writer, and regularly contributed humorous short stories to agency newsletters and local fiction contests. These witty stories always had a clever closing line and reflected his sense of humor an appreciation for a good pun. For instance, in 2010, he took runner-up in the Purple Prose Category in the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest (website still available). He was also a dedicated gearhead. One of his fondest memories was winning a tour of Jay Leno’s “Big Dog Garage” for himself and three “car guy” friends, courtesy of the 2016 raffle prize from the Estrella Warbird Museum’s Warbirds, Wings and Wheels Car Show.
The family will hold a private service. A Celebration of Dennis’s Life will be held on May 31, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at the Estrella Warbirds Museum’s Thompson Hall, 4251 Dry Creek Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446. At a later date, his ashes will be scattered at a private ranch.
Should you wish to contribute to Dennis’s memory, in lieu of flowers, please consider some of his volunteer organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, National Rifle Association, the CDFW Voluntary Tax Contribution Funds and/or the California State Parks Foundation.
Survived by his wife Pat Doberneck of nearly 41 years. Dennis is survived by sons Nate Doberneck of Sacramento, CA and Josh and wife Jenny Doberneck of Galt, CA, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and brother John and wife Carol Lee Doberneck of Auburn, CA. Dennis is also survived by three step-children Teri and husband Chuck Seigner of Bakersfield, CA, Tim Brychta of Topaz, CA, and Jill and husband Larry Curtis of Lake of the Woods, CA, and, eight step-grandchildren and 18 step-great-grandchildren. Dennis is profoundly missed by his family, friends, and the many communities he loved and served.
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