Chloe Dean DeWitt passed away on August 31, 2022 surrounded by his loving family at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri at the age of 83.
Dean was a man of intellect, integrity, loyalty and respect. With his infectious smile, he never met a stranger.
Born September 20, 1938 to Chloe and Nellie (Cole) DeWitt in Montauk, Missouri. He and his three other siblings, Robert, Bill and Dale, lived a moderate simple life but always worked hard. Living in Colorado there was a lot of work in the timber cutting logs and skidding them out with draft horses.
At the age of 17, Dean began his own adventure by jumping on his motorcycle and riding cross country from Fraiser, Colorado to Omaha, Nebraska. With no helmet, a few dollars in his pocket and an inspiration to do something he felt he needed to do; join the Air Force.
While serving his country he experienced many opportunities to travel to different countries. It was while he was in Luxembourg at a train station he saw a beautiful red headed lady that became the love of his life, Heather Mary Pitwell. They were united in marriage on September 20, 1965 and later welcomed their first daughter, Marilyn T’ruth. Fifteen months later they traveled back to the states landing in New Jersey and headed to San Antonio, Texas. It was there four years later they welcomed their 2nd daughter, Dagny Kay. With just a few more years serving in the Air Force, Dean retired in 1975.
With family in tow, he moved them to his home state of Missouri, settling in Hartshorn. Raising his family, he went back to working in the lumber industry as a head sawyer at a local sawmill until his official retirement at the age of 65.
Reading was his favorite pastime, he particularly enjoyed the works of Ayn Rand, which greatly impacted his life. Other interests included golfing, working on antique clocks, going to auctions and tinkering on old trucks just to name a few. But he thoroughly enjoyed riding his Harley every chance he could. One of his greatest joys was getting to experience Grandfatherhood. When his grandson James took a hankering to learn golf, a bond was formed and many golf leagues and tournaments were played in, which sparked a chain reaction for all the grandkids to play golf with papa. Dean loved his grandchildren and took opportunities to teach them everything he could, all the while leaving a legacy that would pass down through the generations.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Chloe and Nellie; brothers, Robert, Bill and Dale.
Surviving are: his loving wife of 57 years, Heather; his pride and joy, his daughters, Marilyn Young and husband Roger, Dagny Butler and husband Brian; Grandchildren, Josh, Amber and husband Dan, James and wife Tiffany, Kaysha and husband David, Mikayla and husband Jon, Ashley and husband Dylan, Dane, Chad and Chloē; great grandchildren, Cyrus, Bella, Hayden, Kobe, Braden, Kinley, Brinley, Jameson, Ryan and Alivia; numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and last but not least, Itsy, his faithful four-legged companion.
Dean was much loved by many and will be genuinely missed by everyone.
