Dennis Pepe

Dennis Pepe, 80, of Santa Fe, passed away at home on September 13, 2026, after a brief illness. He was surrounded by the love of his wife, Laura, and his son, Bryant.

Dennis's energy was contagious. His work life was varied and often adventurous, and he was endlessly curious and full of fun. As he often said, he liked to let his "free child" out.

Most of all, he loved to walk the city and hear the local musicians. He said socializing, music, and dancing were the best exercise for his body and spirit. For most of his years in Santa Fe, he lived within walking distance of the Plaza, and he let gravity guide his sinuous, sailor's path downhill toward home along West San Francisco Street. Santa Fe was his home. He belonged here, and the City of Holy Faith and New Mexico embraced his talented, fun-loving spirit.

A life at sea, in the air, and in service

Dennis was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1945 and spent his youth in Richmond Hill, Queens. He graduated in 1967 from SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler with a BS in Meteorology and Oceanography and went to sea as a Third Mate in the merchant marine, carrying explosives to Vietnam. He then became a Navy fixed-wing pilot, with hook-arrested carrier landings, and an SH-3A Sea King helicopter aviator. His Navy service included antisubmarine warfare, search and rescue, and the Apollo 14 recovery unit.

In 1973, he transferred his commission to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps and sailed aboard oceanographic and fisheries research vessels. He was a NOAA-certified scuba diver and spent 16 years managing the COSPAS-SARSAT international spacecraft program with partners from the Soviet Union, France, and Canada. He was also operations officer for several environmental, oceanographic, and marine mammal projects, including NOAA/NASA Landsat remote sensing spacecraft operations.

The artist and writer

Dennis earned a master's degree from the University of Maryland University College at age 53. Rather than pursue a doctorate in International Management, he completed an art degree. He wrote a collage novel, Beyond Infinity, and created an experimental IMAX theater to produce a multimedia stage production about building and operating a time-traveling craft derived from an ancient Egyptian astronomical chart of the Pleiades. Over his lifetime he created drawings, theater models, time machine models, prints, etchings, watercolors, and oil and acrylic paintings, ranging from pop art to American Impressionism.

Santa Fe

Dennis moved to Santa Fe in 2002. He worked at DeVargas Mall selling Regal movie tickets and popcorn, sold sculpture with Tommy Hicks at Shidoni Foundry, and sold paintings with Adieb Khadour at his Canyon Road gallery.

The State of New Mexico selected Dennis to be the Acting Chief of the USDOE Oversight Bureau for the Environment Department; at the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Emergency Management; and for five years as Critical Infrastructure Protection Coordinator with the Intelligence and Security Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Having been an altar boy in his youth, he later served as Development Director for Monsignor Jerome Alire at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi during Santa Fe's 400th Anniversary and co-produced the video documentary El Corazón de Santa Fe.

He was an original member of Milagro at Los Luceros, a writing group sponsored by the New Mexico Film Office, Governor Bill Richardson, and Robert Redford, and moderated by screenwriter and director Joan Tewksbury. In 2024 he published An Untold Story – a Mostly True Spy Story about his own life, and during retirement he wrote several other novels that remain unpublished.

Love

In 2019, he met the love of his life, Laura McAllister. He had searched for her for many years, but she was too busy, and he had to wait for her to appear.

Family and farewell

Dennis is survived by his wife, Laura; his aviator/astronomer son, Bryant Furey Pepe; his daughters, Genevieve Streko and Brigette Carhart; his sister, Janice; his brother, Thomas; and four grandchildren, Belle, Charlie, James, and Thomas.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday afternoon, October 18. Details are available by emailing Laura at LauraMcAllisterSF@gmail.com. All are welcome at this interment at Santa Fe National Cemetery on Monday, October 19 at 9:45 am.

He will be missed by his many friends, colleagues, and dance partners.