Dennis J. Fagan

Major General Dennis John Fagan (US Army National Guard - Retired)
Dennis J. Fagan died peacefully on June 19, 2020 from complications of treatment for MDS (a rare form of Blood Cancer). He was born on November 28, 1946 in the Bronx NY to Brigadier General James D. Fagan, Sr. and his wife the former Kathleen E. Baker. Dennis Graduated from Lynbrook High School in 1965 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Arts from SUNY Oswego and then earned a Master of Education Administration degree at Pennsylvania State University. In 1973 he married the former Jane Ellen Lynch of Levittown NY.
For over thirty years Dennis was a Technology Teacher at Burr’s Lane in Half Hollow Hills and Sayville High Schools while advising the development of the school yearbooks along with his various media technology teaching assignments. Upon his retirement from teaching he continued advising the yearbook development at Sayville HS and also supervised sudent teachers of Technology courses from SUNY Oswego at many Long Island Schools.
Dennis had a second career as a New York Army National Guardsman for 29 years from 1969 to 1998. He began his national Guard career as a Private in a Signal Company in Syracuse while a student at SUNY Oswego. Upon graduation he transferred to the 7th Regiment Armory on Park Avenue New York City and to 1st Battalion 107thInfantry - a unit that his father, grandfather and grand uncle served previously. He attained commissioned officer status as a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry via Officer Candidate School at Ft Benning GA in 1970 and went on to serve various assignments in both Infantry, Signal and Logistics units. His command assignments include:
• Company and Platoon Commander - 107th Infantry 42nd Infantry Division
• Battalion Commander - 106th Maintenance Battalion
• Commander - Camp Smith Training Site
• Commandant - Branch School II Empire State Military
Academy
• Group Commander - 205th Corps Support Group
• Assistant Division Commander (Support) - 10th Mountain Division
• Brigade Commander – 187th Signal Brigade
• Deputy Commanding General – 42nd Infantry Division
(Rainbow Division)
Upon his National Guard retirement in 1998 he was
awarded the Legion of Merit and promoted from Brigadier General to the rank of Major General. Throughout this distinguished military career General Fagan supported, planned and executed various combat, combat support, and logistics exercises that supported the Active Army activities in the Cold War, and prepared plans and trained for civilian and state government disaster control and recovery operations.
In retirement General Fagan became the Chancellor of St. Patrick’s Priory within the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem from 2001 to 2003 and then the Prior of St. Patrick’s Priory from 2003 to 2005
General Fagan is survived by his wife Jane, his four children and their families – Jennifer & Dave Tomforde, Timothy & Nina Fagan, Keri & Michael McLaughlin, Kelly Fagan; grand children Dylan, Jackson, Carter, & Olivia Tomforde; Cali & Luke Fagan; Aiden & Ryan McLaughlin. He is also survived by his brothers Lieutenant Colonel Dudley & Dollie Fagan and their children and grandchildren, Dr. Kevin Fagan and his children; sister Barbara & Richard Young and their children. Brothers-in-law William & Angie Lynch and their son, and Thomas & Dorrett Lynch – and all of his former high school students and teachers