Beloved coach and teacher, Dennis Milton Kaman, 75, went to his heavenly home October 8, 2015.
Dennis was born in South Bend, Ind., on July 14, 1940. He was a graduate of Dowagiac High School (Dowagiac, MI) and St. Edwards University (Austin, TX). He married Barbara Annette Joanis on September 9, 1961. Coach Kaman began his teaching & coaching career at St. John’s Catholic School in Ennis, Texas. He was the first lay person to teach at the Catholic School. Coach Kaman was quite successful there, taking his basketball team to the State playoffs in 1972. Kaman went on to coach all over Texas, as well as California and Indiana.
During his 46 years in education, Coach Kaman taught in Anderson, Ind.; Del Valle, Texas; Elgin, Texas; Round Rock, Texas; Tyler, Texas; Magnolia, Texas; Fredericksburg, Texas; Bellflower, Cali.; Freer, Texas; Palmer, Texas; Ferris, Texas; and Ennis, Texas. He then came full circle when he returned to St. John’s Catholic School, where he retired in 2008. He was named “National High School Coach Gold Award” in 1987 and accumulated well over 500 wins in basketball during his coaching career. He was the athletic director at St. John’s, where he had TAPPS State volleyball & softball championship teams. Coaching was not his only passion; he invested everything he had into his students. He was a teacher of life to hundreds of students. Kaman taught drivers education; he assisted in summer basketball camps (including one with the San Antonio Spurs). He took an international women’s basketball team from the U.S., to Mexico City to play Mexico’s Olympic women’s basketball team. Kaman was also a huge history enthusiast. One summer, he traveled abroad with International Education (taking students to explore and learn about Europe). He and his wife opened their home to multiple foreign exchange students from Brazil and Germany.
Kaman was a longtime member of St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church. He has been both a lector and a eucharistic minister. Also, he was a 50+ year member of the Knights of Columbus. He participated in five CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) retreats, encouraging men to become leaders in the Church and in their homes.
Coach Kaman is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara Joanis Kaman; his four children: Christine Baker (husband, Michael Paul) of Ennis, Jeff Kaman (wife, Gwenna) of Grapevine, Tim Kaman (wife, Lisa) of Fredericksburg, and Tony Kaman (wife, Michelle) of San Antonio; his brother, Bill Kaman of Round Rock; sister, Kathy Stepzinski of Peoria, Ill.; his Aunt “Aggie” Kirsits of South Bend, Ind.; and numerous nieces and nephews. He has 22 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great grandchildren.
Preceding him in death are his parents, Bill Kaman Sr. and Janet Helmer; his foster parents, Fred and Evelyn Wolfgang; and his infant daughter, Maria Theresa.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, October 13, 2015, from 6 to 8 p.m. with the Holy Rosary beginning at 7 p.m. at J.E. Keever Mortuary, Inc., 408 N. Dallas Street, Ennis, TX 75119.
Funeral mass will be Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at 10 a.m. at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, 401 E. Lampasas Street, Ennis, TX 75119.
www.jekeevermortuary.com
