Helen Dean

Helen Louise Dean, 89, of Iron Mountain, went home to her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011. She was born March 29, 1921, in Bingham Township, Leelanau County, Mich., on the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay between Traverse City and Suttons Bay, the daughter of the late Andrew and Amelia (Schultz) Curry. Helen learned to embroider at four, became an excellent seamstress and enjoyed knitting. She was a 1938 graduate of Suttons Bay High School. After graduating, she was employed by Leelanau For Boys, a private boys school in Glen Arbor, Mich. Helen, and many of her co-workers, eventually became registered nurses, receiving their training at the Traverse City State Hospital School of Nursing. During this time, she was a member of the cadet nurse corps. On Sept. 12, 1944, Helen secretly wed Garth Dean in Traverse City, Mich. Garth was home on leave as a navy pilot and student nurses were not to be married. When she finished training, Helen joined Garth on the West Coast at Naval Bases in Oak Harbor, Whidby Island, Wash. and San Diego. As Garth and Helen started a family, she became a devoted mother, sewing most of her children's clothing and making sure they received the best care. At one point, she had two babies and a one-year-old but she often said she had built-in babysitters, the two older girls-she called it "family planning." Helen entered the workforce when all her children were in school. The family lived in several places, Traverse City, Kalkaska, Saginaw, Walloon Lake, Flushing and Iron Mountain as Garth was promoted/transferred with Michigan Bell Telephone Company. Helen worked as a registered nurse for McLaren General Hospital in Flint from 1960-63 and upon moving to Iron Mountain in March, 1963, began working for the Iron Mountain VA Medical Center, retiring in 1983. Helen attended Trinity United Methodist Church and Maranatha Assembly of God. While her children were growing, she was involved with Brownies/ Girl Scouts, Cub/Boy Scouts and 4-H. She also devoted time to Kiwanis Auxiliary, Adult Day Care and the Cancer Society Loan Closet. In her later years, Helen made several entrelac afghans for family members. Helen is survived by two sons, Randall (Pamela) Dean of Grand Junction, Colo. and Rex Dean of Iron Mountain; two daughters, Sandra Dean of Iron Mountain and Sue (Mark) Deacon of Clarkston, Mich.; a son-in-law, Larry DuFord of Iron Mountain; a brother, Ralph Curry of Suttons Bay, Mich.; six grandchildren, Kit (Jeff) DeMuri, Kimberly (Dave Chen) Deacon, Lorne (Katie) Deacon, Keith Dean, Michelle Dean and Mallory Deacon; three great-grandchildren, Dominic DeMuri, Samantha DeMuri and Paxton Deacon, and many nieces and nephews. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Garth in 1974, just weeks after their two youngest graduated from high school, leaving her with three children in college, her daughter, Meri Kay DuFord and a brother, Herbert Curry. Visitation will be Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kingsford Funeral Home and on Monday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Maranatha Assembly of God Church in Kingsford. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Monday at the church. Rev. David Wilton will officiate. Grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Burial will be in Cemetery Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her memory to Maranatha Assembly of God Building Fund. Condolences to the family of Helen Dean may be expressed online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com The family has entrusted the Kingsford Funeral Home with arrangements.

Helen Dean

January 26, 1922 - January 26, 2011