Dean M Pridgeon

Visitation has been set for Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Beams Funeral Home in Fremont, Indiana. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Mark Case officiating.

Burial will take place in California Cemetery, Branch County. Memorial contributions may be directed to the California Presbyterian Church, 816 Halls Corner Road, Montgomery, Michigan 49255 or Glen and Lorene Pridgeon Scholarship fund at Michigan State University, MSU Foundation, 2727 Alliance Drive, Suite C, Lansing, MI 48910-3338 .

Mr. Pridgeon was born June 22, 1921, the son of Glen and Lorene (Mitchell) Pridgeon in California Township in Montgomery, Michigan. On November 24, 1939, he married Mary McConeghy of Reading, she preceded him in death on December 14, 1991. He married Gloria (Fenstermaker) Berlien of Reading (California Township) on July 1, 1995, she survives.

Dean graduated from Reading High School and was a farmer from 1939 until 2011. While farming, he received the Jaycee Michigan Young Farmer of the Year award.

Dean was a member of California Presbyterian Church of which he was an Elder. He served on the Reading Community School Board of Education, California Township supervisor, Chairman of the Branch County Republican Party, Branch County Farm Bureau president, Board of Directors of Century Bank and Trust, Vice President of Michigan Farm Bureau, Chairman of the Board of Commission of Michigan Department of Natural Resource, Director of Agriculture for the State of Michigan, and as a Trustee of Michigan State University.

Surviving are his wife, Gloria, two sons, Michael and Diane Pridgeon of Montgomery and William and Martha Pridgeon of Montgomery; two daughters, Rebecca Pridgeon of Montgomery, and David and Barbara Miller of Columbus, Ohio; one step-daughter, Dana and Sheila Alley of Reading; twelve grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; one step-great grandchild; six great-grandchildren; and one step-great-grandchild; one sister Tom and Marcille Dalgleish of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Two brothers, Marvin and Janet Pridgeon of Northville, Michigan and Tom and Sharron Pridgeon of Greenville, Michigan.

In addition to his wife, Mary, Dean was preceded in death by one infant child, two sisters, Joyce Carpenter and Ellen Layer, one brother, John Pridgeon, and his parents.

Condolences may be sent online to www.beamsfuneralhome.com.