Dennis Yell, 71, Mentor, Minn.

Dennis Yell, 71, died Friday, July 29, 2016, at his Mentor, Minn., home under the care of his family and Hospice.

Dennis Floyd Yell was born January 25, 1945, to Beatrice and Floyd Yell in Barrett, Minn.  They later moved to Parkers Prairie, Minn., where he was raised on the family farm.  After graduating from high school, Yell attended Minnesota State University-Moorhead where he earned a bachelor’s degree in teaching and coaching. 

In 1968, he became the first MSUM football player to be drafted by the National Football League to the Los Angeles Rams.  After a back injury, he went on to teach in Elbow Lake, Minn., he was a graduate assistant teacher and coach at MSUM. He also taught and coached football and track in Ada, Minn. In 2004, he was inducted into the Dragon Hall of Fame at MSUM. 

In 1976, Dennis, Susan and Missy moved to Kasson where he taught and coached until 2000.  In 2003, after their retirement, Dennis and Susan moved to Mentor and built a lake home where they resided until his death. Even after his retirement, his love for football led him to a coaching position at Clearbrook-Gonvick High School where he was the head football coach for four years.  He also was the assistant football coach for three years at Crookston High School, and most recently he coached 7th and 8th grade football for the Fertile-Beltrami Schools.  

Dennis had a great love not only for football, but also for hunting.  He especially enjoyed hunting with family and later with his lifelong friend, Ted.  In addition to hunting deer, Dennis and Ted, along with his dog, Britta, made yearly trips to North Dakota to hunt pheasants. His love for deer hunting led him to learn the art of taxidermy.  He maintained a part-time taxidermy business in the Kasson-Mantorville area for many years.

Football and hunting were a big part of Dennis’ life, but he also was extremely proud of his two daughters, his grandchildren and his wife and the life they spent together.  He especially enjoyed time with his  sisters, brother, nieces and nephews on their travels to Mexico. Dennis will be deeply missed by family and friends.  He has had a lasting effect on many students, athletes, friends and family who have been fortunate enough to cross his path.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Susan Yell, Mentor, Minn., daughters, Michelle “Missy” Grass (Dennis); Lake Mary, Fla. and Meghan Wendland (Jared), West Fargo, N.D.; grandchildren, Reilly Grass; Ethan Grass and Jace Wendland; sisters, Ramona Johnson, Glenwood, Minn.; Eunice Anderson, Glenwood, Minn.; Beverly Lee, Glenwood, Minn. and Arlinda Yell, Minneapolis; brother, Arlen Yell (Cynthia), Alexandria, Minn., sister-in-law, Sandra Weber, Scottsdale, Ariz., brother-in-law, Ken Weber, West Palm Beach, Fla., many nieces and nephews and lifelong friend Ted (John) Lundblad and special hunting companion, Britta. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Beatrice and Floyd Yell, mother-in-law and father-in-law, Lillian and Hilger Weber, brothers-in-law; Lloyd Johnson, Andy Anderson and Richard Weber, and nephews, Garrett Yell and Jim Weber.  

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, August 4, 2016, at Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile, Minn. Visitation will take place at the church one hour before the memorial service.

Arrangements with Erikson-Vik-Ganje Funeral Home, Fertile, Minn.