Dennis E. Holmes, the only son of the late Frank Edward and Shirley Holmes, died in his Schenectady home on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. He was 70 years old.

“Dennis was an incredible musician, a fantastic writer, and most of all a kind, gentle, giving, and genuine human being,” his family wrote in a tribute.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Russell Sage College. He was a retired probation officer from the Albany County Probation Department.

“His true passion was music and, if he had ever been in the right place at the right time, he could have been a star,” his family wrote. “Dennis changed the lives of so many for the better and yet he really didn't think he ever had accomplished anything.”

He is survived by his cousins, Marcia Gifford of Hadley, New York and Nancy Tortorello of Tampa, Florida. He also leaves behind his good friend Susan Kirk and his beloved dog, Little Girl.

He will be laid to rest in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Guilderland, near his parents.