Britain's oldest dad dies at 78 - before his youngest baby's first birthday
Filed under: Dads
Barcroft Media
We were very saddened to learn that Dennis passed away over the weekend - just a few months shy of his youngest baby's first birthday. Little Violet will turn one in June.
Retired bus driver Dennis was a dad of eight and a granddad to 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He said last year that Violet would be his last baby.
He and Cora had been together since 2007, with the blessing of Dennis's first wife, Ros, 70, with whom he had five children.
Dennis and Cora were proud parents to Jonathan, three, and Jessie, two, as well as Violet.
The sprightly pensioner said at the time that he tried to keep fit and did not smoke or drink. He had said he was 'thrilled to bits' by new baby Violet, but admitted he was 'too old for any more', adding that he had thought 'oh my god, not another one!' when Cora had unexpectedly fallen pregnant whilst on the pill.
His family has not released a comment to the media on Dennis's passing.
What do you think?
Such a horrible time for the family, but sadly something older parents have to think about?
Older celebrity fathers
- Elton John<p> Elton was 63 when he adopted baby <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/06/02/elton-john-and-david-furnish-jet-off-with-baby-zachary/" target="_blank">Zachary </a>with partner, David Furnish. The little lad was born on Christmas day via a surrogate mum, and Elton and David later said they had “left it to chance” as to who was his biological father.</p> <p> <strong>Elton says:</strong> “I know it'll be hard with my life, but we want him to have that same normality and for things in life to have real value. So we don't intend to spoil him.”</p>
- Des O'Connor<p> TV’s Des was 72 when his fifth child, his first with wife, Jodie was born. He claims to have good genes, with his own father living until 94, and reckons he can still give his son, Adam the odd piggyback up the stairs!</p> <p> <strong>Des says: </strong>“Who knows?' My wife has mentioned having another baby. But it would be a bit selfish of me at my age, even though I'm in reasonably good nick!”</p>
- Hugh Grant<p> It was a <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/11/01/hugh-grant-becomes-dad-for-the-first-time-surprise-baby-for-star/" target="_blank">surprise baby</a> for 51-year-old Hugh Grant last year, when he announced he had welcomed a son with Tinglan Hong. He had hinted on and off that he might be ready for children, saying in 2007 that he was looking to find someone else to care about, rather than just himself!</p>
- David Bowie<p> Bowie’s first child, son Duncan Zowie (yes, really) was born in 1971, when the singer was a spritely 24-year-old. He waited 30 years to have another, and his daughter, Alexandria was born when he was 53.</p>
- Jack Nicholson<p> Hollywood’s Jack has five children in total, and his son, Raymond, was born when Jack was 54, two years after he welcomed a daughter, Lorraine. Jack reckons the trick to being an older dad is to be “inspirational, or some kind of good influence on them without overburdening them”. Do you think he lives up to it?</p>
- David Jason<p> David became a first time father at 61 when his partner Gill, who is 20 years his junior, gave birth to their daughter, <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/12/05/i-cant-protect-my-daughter-from-telly-smut-says-comedy-legend-david-jason/" target="_blank">Sophie Mae</a> in 2001.</p> <p> <strong>David says:</strong> “I didn't actually wait, it was thrust upon me I think. My life has been in reverse.”</p>
- Bruce Willis<p> Almost twenty years after his first baby with Demi Moore was born, hard man Bruce is set to welcome his <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/10/27/bruce-willis-to-be-a-dad-for-the-fourth-time-at-56/" target="_blank">fourth, aged 56</a>. The dashing dad is due become a father again when his new wife, Emma Heming gives birth to the couple’s first baby later this year. He is already a proud dad to Rumer, 23, Scout, 20, and Tallulah, 17, his three girls with ex, Demi.</p>
- Mick Jagger<p> Mick’s dad to seven children and granddad to four. His youngest child, son Lucas was born when he was 55, which makes the little lad closer in age to his dad’s grandchildren than his actual siblings…</p>
- Hugh Hefner<p> At 84, Playboy king Hugh has four grown-up children, Christie, David, Marston and Cooper from previous marriages, and Cooper born when Hef was 51. Nearing 90, we reckon his baby making days are over, aalthough in 2007, girlfriend at the time, Holly Madison, got the rumour mill churning after she was said to be broody for Hef’s baby…</p>
- Kelsey Grammer<p> Frasier star Kelsey is already a dad of four, but is set to be a new father again at 56, as his wife, Kayte Walsh, 30 is pregnant with twins. The actor and Kayte sadly lost a baby in 2010.</p> <p> <strong>Kelsey says: </strong>“What a magnificent year it's been. Iam really looking forward to meeting these arrivals!”</p>
- Michael Douglas<p> Michael had his first baby, son Cameron in the 70s, but had two more when he married Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones, Dylan, when he was 53 and Carys when he was 56. Things must have <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/09/01/parenting-in-the-last-50-years-how-life-has-changed-for-modern/" target="_blank">changed a lot</a> in the parenting world in all those years...</p>
- Clint Eastwood<p> Hollywood star Clint was 66 when his youngest daughter, Morgan was born in 1996. The now 81-year-old has seven children with five women in total, and Morgan’s mum is his current wife, Dina Ruiz.</p> <p> <strong>Clint says:</strong> "I go to the school activities, all the softball games. I look kind of ridiculous out there. Almost everybody's got a younger father than me. But it's fun. I think you appreciate everything when you get to my age.”</p>
- Rod Stewart<p> Rocker Rod has the <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/06/07/large-celebrity-families/#photo-4" target="_blank">biggest brood</a> in our older dads gallery, and we reckon anyone else will be hard pushed to beat him. He’s a proud dad to eight (count ‘em!) kids, and his youngest, Aiden, was born when Rod was 66!</p> <p> <strong>Rod says:</strong> “As a parent of a new child, I'll maybe only be around for 25 years at most. But it will be a happy, loving 25 years. You get children born into a family who have 25 miserable years. What's the point in that?”</p>
- Paul McCartney<p> With three grown up children, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Beatles man had completed his family. But he welcomed number four, daughter Beatrice with Heather Mills when he was 61. The little girl is now seven and was a bridesmaid at her dad’s <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/10/09/sir-paul-mccartney-to-wed-for-third-time-bride-nancy-shevell-today-daughter-beatriice-bridesmaid/" target="_blank">recent wedding</a> to Nancy Shevell.</p>
- Frank Skinner<p> Funnyman Frank is a first time dad at 55. He and partner, Cath Mason welcomed a baby boy, Buzz Cody in May 2011. Frank said his son was named after either the second man on the moon, or the character in Toy Story, depending on how old you are!</p>
- Paul Weller<p> Rocker Paul welcomed twins <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/01/16/paul-weller-proud-dad-to-twin-boys-bowie-and-john-paul/" target="_blank">earlier this year</a>, at the grand old age of 53. The singer is already a dad to five children, but his twin boys, John Paul and Bowie, are with new wife, Hannah, who he married in 2010. Twins at 53, could you do it?</p>
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