Larry E. Dean

Larry E. Dean passed away Saturday, October 23, 2010. Larry spent the last day of his life doing what he loved the most: roaming the hills, gold panning and watching nature’s beauty. Larry passed away from complications after taking a fall while prospecting in Kittitas Valley. Thankfully he was with his long-time friend and gold panning partner.

Larry Dean was born in Pleasanton, Kansas in 1932. He was the son of Lafayette and Leah Dean. In 1947 the family moved to Yakima, WA where Larry attended Yakima High School. After graduation he entered the carpenter apprenticeship program. He worked on projects such as the Chinook Tower and Hanford Nuclear Plant.

In 1952 Larry joined the U.S. Coast Guard. He was stationed in Annette Island in Alaska. After his Coast Guard duty, he worked for the Yakima Metropolitan Park District. He went on to become the Yakima County Parks Director from 1969 to 1978. With Eschbach Park being the first County Park, Larry worked 16 hour days 7 days a week, to keep the park like the great family park it was. He mentored many young boys and girls on job skills, work ethics, and public service with a smile (including all four of his children).

Deciding he liked the shovel better than paperwork, Larry transferred to the Yakima County Bridge Crew until retiring in 1981 at the age of 52.

The following 29 years Larry spent gold prospecting and wandering the hills of Central Washington and Arizona with friends and family. He was a member and served as President of the Yakima Gold Club Prospector's Association. It brought him great joy demonstrating gold panning to the public.

Larry is survived by his twin sister Mary (Dean) Williamson (Glendale) of Gold Bar, WA;

daughter Nancy Rutter of Yakima; two sons, Linn Dean of Yakima, and Loy Dean (Loni) of Olympia; and five grandchildren: Jeff, Neal, and Casey Rutter of Yakima, and Cole and Parker Dean of Olympia.

Larry was preceded in death by his son, Lonnie Dean at age 16, his loving wife of 46 years, Evelyn (Brown) Dean, and younger brother, Wayne Dean.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, 2010 at Langevin-Mussetter Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010 at Keith & Keith Terrace Heights Chapel with burial following at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. Due to family health reasons, it is requested the services be fragrance free. Please refrain from wearing any colognes or perfumes. Flowers are strongly discouraged. However, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or Brain Injury Association c/o Langevin-Mussetter Funeral Home 1010 W. Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA 98902.