Ronald Roy Dean, 1943-2020

Ron was born in Buffalo, New York, where he lived until leaving to attend the University of New Hampshire. After graduating from UNH, he trained as an Air Force pilot in Del Rio, Texas, and was then stationed at Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire. He remained in that state, living in Brookline for forty years, earning an MBA at Rivier University and working in the paper industry before becoming a mail carrier in Hollis. In Brookline, he coached Little League, was a member of the Recreation Commission, a guitarist for the Sweet Tooth Band, and a founding member of the Lit Wits Book Club. After moving to Ashland, Oregon, in 2012, Ron continued to pursue music as a regular at The Wild Goose open mic sessions. He played backyard socially-distanced jams until the week before he died.

During their fifty-four years together, Ron and his wife, Sharon Welch Dean, traveled throughout New England and Oregon. They also visited England, Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands, Brunei, and most recently, Oman. He is survived by his wife, his siblings, Don, Daryl, Bob, and Diane, his son Michael Dean, his daughter and her husband, Emily and Peter Warren, and three grandchildren, Juliana, Ryan, and Jasper.

Because of Covid there will be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in the memory of Ronald Roy Dean, ’65, to The University of New Hampshire, c/o Gift Planning, 9 Edgewood Road, Durham, NH 03801 or online at www.unh.edu/give.