by Cindy Gum & Connie Palladino
Dennis grew up in the tough, blue-collar town of Hoboken, New Jersey the birth place of Frank Sinatra which overlooks the NYC skyline in the 50s. Back in the day it was a cross between “West Side Story” and “On the Waterfront,” he said. Cecile grew up in the West Rogers Park in Chicago. They met at a student party while Dennis was attending the former Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine. Cecile was on a blind date that wasn’t going well. She shared her adventurous summer travels in Italy and he shared stories of his many trips to Sicily visiting relatives. In that instant a romantic flame was lit.
Cecile taught 4th grade in the tough inner city of Chicago, where weapons checks were mandatory. “She had a sweet, gentle and kind demeanor,” Dennis said, “and it was no surprise that her students adored her,” he added.
The Augustine’s moved to San Jose, CA in 1975 where Dennis began practicing outpatient minimally invasive foot surgery in a converted ranch house near the public Rose Garden. Later the office was incorporated into the Park Avenue Foot Clinic. Cecile was the office manager and together they built one of the most successful operations of its kind in the country. They have two grown children, Jason, 37 and Michelle, 31, who is pregnant with their first grandchild.
The Augustine’s decided to downsize from their 5,000 square foot palatial estate in Saratoga, California, over three years ago. Like many people who wind up at RInconada Hills, they were tired of the upkeep and were looking to simplify their lives. “We love the tree-lined walking trails, the stunning one acre lake, ponds, waterfalls, wildlife and living in harmony with nature,” Dennis said.
The retired couple have been together for 46 years, are best friends and still very much in love. They have traveled all over the world. Earlier in the year they went to Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Last April, they took a week long riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Nashville with their friends and longtime residents of Rinconada Hills, Nelson and Susan Bye.
Aside from their love for travel, the Augustine’s are avid yoga enthusiasts. Dennis, a former yoga teacher received his teaching certification 18 years ago at “White Lotus” in Santa Barbara. He also attended three-week silent Mindfulness Meditation retreats at a Buddhist monastery outside Mandalay in Myanmar from 2005-2010.
A former watercolorist with the Saratoga Community of Painters and a former saxophone player with the Saratoga Community Band, Dennis’ current interests are focused on swimming, bicycling on his new electric assist bike, reading, and writing. His is the author of several published books including Invisible Means of Support: “A Transformational Journey” and “Gifts from Spirit, A Skeptics Path” that he wrote in the early 90s. The former, is a tribute to the late mythologist and scholar, Joseph Campbell who was known to encourage his students and readers to: “Follow Your Bliss.”
Newsletter Cover Photo: Courtesy of John Perry
Photo of Cecile & I taken in Bangkok during Ancient Kingdoms Tour with Overseas Adventure Travel 2018
