Dean Edwin DeJong was born on November 4, 1957, in Sheldon, Iowa, the son of James and Marcella (Olson) DeJong. He attended school in Sumas, Washington, until the family moved to Granite Falls in 1972. Dean graduated from the Granite Falls High School in 1976.
Dean took a butchery course at the Pipestone AVTI and landed a job at a market in Fairmont. From there, he moved to California for a while, but returned to Minnesota in the early 80’s. He was hired at the Cargill Elevator in Maynard and worked there until he retired a couple of years ago.
Dean enjoyed traveling, gardening and sports. He also enjoyed doing word search puzzles and he loved tomatoes, beet pickles, noodles and especially Pepsi.
Cancer took Dean’s life on Tuesday, November 14, 2017. He was 60 years of age.
He is survived by his mother Marcella of Granite Falls; two sisters: Elizabeth of Tennessee; and Jodi (Donnie) Trotter of Granite Falls; nieces Tracy Brown and Tonya Smith of Tennessee and Kayla Trotter of Granite Falls; nephew James Trotter of Granite Falls and many aunts, uncles and extended family.
Dean was preceded in death by his grandparents, Julius and Evelyn Olson and Joe and Elizabeth DeJong; step grandmother Nettie DeJong; father James DeJong and brother Mark DeJong.
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