Roger Dean

View Roger's Tribute Video

Roger Dean, 92, of Miller, passed away Monday, July 6, 2015 at the Avera Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 10, 2015 at the St. Lawrence Community Church with Pastor Scot Tutt officiating. Burial with military honors followed at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, July 9, 2015 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church.

Roger Trueman Dean was born December 29, 1922 to Laurence and Clara (Borgedalen) Dean in Hand County, SD. In 1940, he graduated from Miller High School. He was a member of the first FFA officer team at Miller High School. After high school he worked in the sugar beet factory in Belle Fourche.

He was drafted to serve in World War II and was shipped out on his 21st birthday and was sworn in at Fort Snelling, MN on December 30, 1943. He also served at Fort Sill, OK, and Scoffield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii. He was discharged from the Army in April 1946. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign War.

Roger married Marles Parmely on January 19, 1951. Roger worked for area farmers from 1946 to 1951 including Alvie Haberling and Harley Fulton. They purchased the farm in Spring Lake Township in 1955 where they farmed and ranched for 36 years. He was a 4-H Leader, a township board member, a charter member of the Miller FFA Chapter, and a charter and lifetime member of the Miller FFA Alumni.

In 1991, Roger and Marles retired and moved into Miller. They made frequent trips to the farm to mow, plant trees, paint, and tend to the garden. Roger enjoyed his grandkids’ activities, MHS basketball, doing crosswords and jigsaw puzzles, Hereford cattle, and his many flower gardens.

Roger is survived by his wife of 64½ years, Marles; daughters: Sheree (Dale) Christensen, Beresford, SD and Shelley (Mike) Moncur, Miller, SD; grandchildren Dean and Kaysee Christensen and Erin Moncur; brother, Darrell Dean, Bloomfield, NE; in-laws: Viorene McEldowney, Ellen Parmely, Mildred (Lowell) Engel, Ruby Parmely, Margaret Starks, James (Genevieve) Parmely, Beth (Jack) Engel, and Gene Swaney; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings: Mildred (Henry) Venjohn, Raymond Dean, Leonard (Vera) Dean and Helen (Raymond) Olson; in-laws: Phyllis Dean, Wayne Parmely, Viola (Junior) Ford, Clark Parmely, Richard Starks, Otis (Natalie) Parmely, and Lenarda Swaney.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Roger’s arrangements.