Date of Birth: June 27, 1936
Date of Death: January 5, 2017
Norman Dean of Melville, Sask., and formerly of Grayson, Sask., beloved husband of Leona Dean, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017 at the age of 80 years.
Norman, one of five children, was born to Ferdinand and Gertrude Dian on June 27, 1936 in Grayson. He married Leona Ottenbreit on July 9, 1958. The couple lived on the original Dian homestead until 2014 when they moved to Caleb Village in Melville. Norman farmed from 1957 to his retirement in 1992.
Norman enjoyed fishing including: ice fishing with pals, fishing for walleyes with John and Elsie Dean on Long Lake, fly-in trips with Leona and friends, annual summer holiday trips to Dennis and Doreen Wilson’s in Flin Flon, father and son trips to Dipper Lake in northern Saskatchewan, and an extraodinary salmon fishing trip to the West Coast. He also enjoyed many goose and duck hunting trips, along with local deer hunting; building a house and pool, fish shacks, games, a boat “the red yacht,” out of his well-organized shop; stonework for homes, a grotto, a cairn for Archbishop Exner, and the cemetery entrance.
Norman and Leona both shared the joy of gardening and their yard, including growing giant tomatoes and pumpkins. Norman was a gracious host for many events, including family reunions. Many Saturday nights were spent camping at Boozers Point at Crooked Lake; playing cards with friends and many nights with Fred and Lily Bogdan. Norman’s seven grandchildren brought him great joy over the last 18 years.
Norman leaves to cherish his memory: his beloved wife, Leona; his three sons, Vaughn (Hollie) of Edmonton and children, Ellie and Emma; Steven of Calgary and his children, Easton, Nolan and Sydney; Cory (Pamela) of Calgary and children, Luke and Megan; in-laws, Elsie Dean, Joe Basile, Aileen Striker, Del (Lorette) Ottenbreit, Wilf Goebel and Dolores (George) Fischer.
He was predeceased by his parents, Ferdinand and Gertrude Dian; parent-in-laws, George and Mary Ottenbreit; sisters, Betty (Rudy) Exner, Anne (Tony) Kesslering, Mary (Arnot) MacEwan, Helen (Ernie) Smith; brother, John Dean; in-laws, Edward (Mildred) Ottenbreit, Hilda Basile, Bob Striker and Ruth Goebel.
The funeral mass was celebrated on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Grayson with Rev. Fr. Mieczyslaw Burdzy, OMI, as the celebrant.
Arrangements were by Bailey’s Funeral and Cremation Services, Melville.
