Richard "Dick" Robert Dean

Dick, 83, passed away peacefully Tuesday, August 13, 2019, after a long and courageous battle with dementia. He was surrounded by his loving family and the caring staff from Hospice & Palliative Care and Wellmore SNF. He was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to the late Robert and Thelma Dean.

While in high school, Richard earned his Eagle Scout badge of which he was so proud. He was awarded a full scholarship from Kalamazoo College where he earned a Chemistry degree. The majority of his career was spent with Celanese Corp (later know as Hoechst Celanese) where he held various technical management positions before retiring after 35 years of service.

Richard was incredibly intelligent and inquisitive. From an early age he loved to tinker with things and figure out how to build and improve. There were stories of him tinkering with the family lawn mower to increase its power and speed. He then progressed to cars helping his sons rebuild engines and repair the occasional fender bender. He was a do it yourself person and loved a challenge.

Richard was very athletic and active, excelling in basketball, tennis, water skiing, white water rafting, and boating. He started playing tennis in his 40’s, playing for fun and competitively. In 2002, he played with his son, David, on a USTA 4.0 team which made it to nationals. His tennis buddies became some of his closest friends.

He was quite an accomplished person. He built and flew a gyrocopter, built his home, and could fix anything. He loved fast cars and thoroughly enjoyed the sports cars he had through the years. Dick was a voracious reader, completing 5-7 books a week. His love of travel took him all over the world.

Dick had an infectious sense of humor and loved having fun. Though he was restricted physically and verbally, he could periodically make comments that would crack us up. One of our favorites was “I haven’t had a beer in 3 years. I miss that.” While being noisy in an activity asked why, his response was “I just wanted to be disruptive.”

He was proud of his sons and their accomplishments and took pride in his growing family. He relished summer days spent by the water at his lake home with family and friends.

He is survived by his best friend and loving wife of 35 years, Kristin; sister, Joyce Becker; sons, David (Debbie) and Rick (Janet); 6 grandchildren, David Dean (Teri), Donna Dean Short (Trip), Christin Dean (Robert Hallstrom), Jennifer Dean, Shaun Price (Dawn) and Shane Price ( Aimee); 9 great grandchildren, Georgia Dean, Dean Short, Cole and Dean Hallstrom, Jaycee, Jaidyn and Jessa Price, Greyson and Liam Price; sister-in-law, Patricia Herring.

Kristin and the family are very appreciative and humbled for all of the love, support and prayers received during this long journey. Special thanks to his friends Bill and John who visited frequently along with other friends who stayed in touch. The care and compassion from Hospice & Palliative Care Palmetto Region, as well as the staff at Wellmore Tega Cay SNF were outstanding.

A service to celebrate Dick’s life will be held at 1 PM Thursday, August 22, 2019 at Pineville Chapel, 10500 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210, 704-544-1412. The family will receive friends following the service as we toast a final farewell.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care Palmetto Region, 1057 Red Ventures Drive, Suite 150, Fort Mill, SC 29707 (www.donatehospice.org).