Kenneth G. Dean
November 13, 1929 - February 27, 2009
Obituary
Born to Buford Sharon and Lillian May Dean, Ken had 4 brother and 3 sisters. When he was ten years old Ken was placed in foster care with Marian Turner in southern California after his mother died. In 1946 he had met his future wife; Lillian O’Keefe. He was 17 and she was 13. He had traveled around the states hitchhiking as far as Kentucky looking for a place to settle. By 1948 he found himself in Cleveland, Ohio where he decided to join the Army. In early ’52 Ken & Lilly met up again when he returned to California and was stationed at Camp Roberts. They were married on August 31, 1952. By November of that year he had done two tours in Korean Military Police Action.
June of 1953 Nancy; his first of three daughters was born. When Ken returned from the Service the family moved to Sedro Woolley, WA where daughters Marian and Barbara were born. After a brief time back to California, Ken moved his family back up to Washington to make a life as a truck driver. He took part in bringing the 1962 Worlds Fair to Seattle by delivering the steel for the buildings. He then went to work for Acme-Intercity and put in 30 years.
In 1964 he bought the family a nice big house in Auburn, Washington where he and his wife raised not just their 3 daughters but any kid on the block that needed somewhere to sleep, a break from their own parents, something to eat or just some good old fashion discipline through chores. Ricco Heatherly became his foster son and brother to the girls. When his granddaughter Donna came to live with him in 1987 he also took in her best friend Trasie who he liked to call ‘Gracie Hopper’. Some can remember as kids ‘Mean ol’ Mr. Dean’. Some knew him as Ken, Kenny, oh and Big Weiner on the 1-9. Daddy-O was his name for his girls and to his four grandchildren; Donna, Jason, Andrea & Evan he was Grandpa. He was blessed to be a great grandpa 5 times with Courtney Virginia Irene, Clifford Evan, Evan George, Johnathon Ray & Klein Kenneth.
Kenneth was deeply loved by everyone and will be missed by all.
I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your dad, Marian. He sure sounds like he was a wonderful man and a good friend to all who knew him. Hugs
My heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the family for your loss. I met Ken’s nephew Lynn in 1981 and we married in 1987. I felt warmly welcomed by the family from the beginning. I know Lynn has many good memories of both Ken and Lil and will miss Ken. Hugs to you all.
Well girls tomorrow we will line up at the door for kisses for the last time. My heart is broken. I miss you daddy
Kenneth & Lillie and I go a long way back. Before my husband died in 1981, the 4 adults and 5 kids did everything together, thru good times and bad. He was the best!!! Say hi to Leon for me. You two will have fun together in Heaven!!! You may even meet up with my Dad and Marv Curtis. I will think of you often and I promise to see Lillie more than I have in the past 25 years.
Kenneth was a lively man and had a very colorful personality. This loss of our friend has made me sit and remember a lot of stories, all of which bring laughter. I mean that as a big compliment to what he brought to life. My oldest memory was from around 1959 or 60, living in Georgetown, Kenneth lined up his 3 daughters with my sister and I and told us Korean War stories. It scared me then because I was 3 or 4 years old, but I have laughed for years when the memory came back.
I have never met anyone who even slightly reminded me of Kenneth, he was one of a kind. That mold was broken…..as the saying goes.
May his memory keep a smile on everyones face. And thank you for serving our Country.
Im sorry for the family lost of kenneth dean.ken and lil took me in then when I was station at fort Lewis and my freind dennis mathis.ken and lil became are parents.we spent most of offduty time there with ken,there was jokes &laughter.Im going to mist kenneth alot.love aways steve.
Dad, There is so much I want to say that I don’t know what to say or where to start. You didn’t have an easy life but you didn’t let it keep you down. You were strong and you made us strong. John Wayne was a hero on the big screen but you are the real hero. You are my HERO. I love and miss you.
What can I say… At age 15 I desperately NEEDED something great to happen in my life. It came to me in the form of this family. I had already decided while walking up the stairs to meet “Grandpa” for the first time, that he would like me, Love me. And that is exactly what happened. I always felt heard and that my feelings mattered. That is a very important and special feeling at that age. I also learned never to underestimate the power of a simple squirtgun or Bagpipe music playing at full volume at 6:00 A.M. in the morning. Both great tools when raising teenagers! I know I’m not alone in saying that being in that house made a difference in my life.
I’ll miss you Grandpa
See you later
Love Always,
Gracie Hopper
Kenneth and Lillie are like Mom & Dad to me & their daughters like sisters since I have known them all since before I was born, I mourn his passing and will miss him very much. All my love to his family.
Loved and Missed
I have started and stop so many times now!! He was the best!! I love and miss him so much.
I wish that I had told you how much you’ve inspired me. I will miss you greatly.
Mobile easy, Grandpa.
Camping trips, those short “hikes” Mary and I sleeping in the upper bunk of the mini winnie while she was waaaayyyyy pregnant. The adventures of trying to get ahold of you while you were camping over on Hoods Canal. I called a tavern to have someone run up to the property to announce to you the birth of our son, the gentleman in question was trying to tell you that he was born and and all was well, but you were so concerned about everyones health that you missed the message. How you and Lilly left the trip early to visit Mary and my son Weston KENNETH Dennis, I remember the look of love when I told you his name you told me later you cried in private. I have shed of a tear of love in private myself We love, honor and respect you for all you meant to us.
Godspeed my dear Friend…Godspeed
Kenneth is my uncle, my mom’s brother. We’ve had a lot good times. When they would come to Sedro Woolley for a visit he would through me the keys to his car and say take the girls for long drive. Sometimes we would not come back till dark and no gas left. Later in my life I got to know him better than when I was kid. I stayed at his place when I was going to business school and treated me just like one of the kids. I would get into trouble too. When ever I needed a place to crash in Seattle for a couple days Kenneth always had a bed for me. Rest in peace Uncle Kenneth we all love you.
Ken do you know how much you are loved? You touched so many lifes. Helped so many people. I can’t find the words to tell how much I admired you. I met you when I was only seven or so. I would listen every thing you had to say and you always made me laugh. You taught us all so much. You made this world so much easier to bare when things went wrong. We are all better people for knowing you. I miss you very much Mr. Dean. Thank you a million times over for all you did. I can hear you now saying mobile easy, and I would answer with I will I remember everything you taught. Loved and missed
I sure do miss you grandpa.Its so hard to realize how much you really love somebody when they’re gone.You always took care of everybody.You were so clever. Always teaching somebody something especially when they weren’t looking.As I go through these boxes of pictures I can see how many lives you touched.Grandma sure picked a good guy! I love you and see ya around some time kid!
What a life you led, the places you been, the things you’ve done.
You were one of Gods greatest Teachers. You lived your life to the fullest and taught every one eles to do the same. Thank you for all you taught me, because of it I can stand proud to be an American. And oh by the way When you met John Wayne be sure to tell him how you told us he was going to die in every movie we watched together. I think you and John would have been good friends if you’d known one another because like him you stood for for the right to be an American.
Love you and Miss you very much.
Its almost your 12th anniversary of when you said goodbye. I have reached for you so much in these last few years. I hope you are proud of me. I am finally doin it on my own. I tune in to you when it comes to handling my grandkids. Oh how I wish I had your stature.
I only take comfort in knowing that you are free of any and all pain you felt in your body and any anguish your mind provided towards the end.
I miss you and grandma so so much. What I wouldn’t give to plow through the door and up the stairs to plop on the couch and watch the news with you.