William (Bill) Dean
December 22 1923– July 23 2012
Loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Great-Great Grandfather and Friend!
Billl Dean, 88, was born December 22, 1923 in the small town of Eagle Butte, South Dakota. He moved to Wyoming at 15 and worked on a horse ranch breaking wild horses. He was a true Cowboy.
In 1942, at the age of 19, he joined the Marine Corps and went to war where he was a marksman, and telephone man in the Armored Amphibian tractor that landed on Iwo Jima and Guam. He returned home to Vancouver, Wa. in 1945 a decorated war hero with a purple heart. He never spoke of it again. He was greeted by his sister, Deloise, and her friend Marie Fleming who later became his wife. Bill and Marie were married in 1946. They moved to Seattle where they had 3 children; 2 sons, Steve and Chuck, and daughter Jolene. He loved family, fishing, camping and traveling around meeting people. In the 60s, they moved to Mountlake Terrace where he worked until retirement at Cooks Auto Rebuild. After the loss of his wife in 1985 he found an amazing friendship with Mary Snyder. He moved to Snohomish and they loved travelling, gardening and spending time with family and friends. Bill enjoyed the last several years of his life at the Snohomish Senior Center where he loved playing cards, doing puzzles, eating a pancake breakfast and creating great friendships. Bill was a great worker, never leaving things undone, always willing to help a friend. He will be truly missed by all who knew him. Bill is preceded in death by his wife Marie; sons Steve and Chuck; siblings, Dorothy, Deloise, and Daren; and also great friend Mary Snyder. He is survived by daughter Jolene McCormick (Brook), sister Donna Overly (Gerald) six grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and one great–great grandchild.
William (Bill) Dean