Duane Leray Dean (Plainview)

Duane LeRay Dean

(February 22, 1938 – June 22, 2015)

Funeral services for Duane LeRay Dean, age 77, of Plainview, will be at 2:00 PM Friday, June 26th, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Plainview. He will be laid to rest in the Pleasant View Cemetery in Plainview with Military Honors. Visitation for Duane Dean will be from 10 AM to 2PM Friday at the United Methodist Church in Plainview. Duane passed away June 22nd, 2015 at the Plainview Manor from COPD.


Duane was born February 22nd, 1938 to Darrel and Mary Alberta (Culbertson) Dean of Foster, Nebraska. He grew up on a farm south of Plainview and graduated from Plainview High School. After graduation, he joined the US Navy.

While stationed at NAS Olathe, Duane met his future wife, Mary Ann. They were married in 1960 in San Diego. They enjoyed square dancing wherever they lived. When they lived in Tennessee, they were awarded a Die-Hard Badge for dancing 5 nights in a row.

Duane spent twenty years in the Navy as an aircraft mechanic and after advancing to Chief Petty Officer, managing aircraft maintenance. He had various assignments, including over eight years as an instructor, many short cruises and four WesPac Tours. He was especially proud to have been handpicked to serve as the maintenance chief petty officer for Vice Admiral Steele’s helicopter. Admiral Steele was the commander of the 7th Fleet on the flagship USS Oklahoma City CLG5. Duane also served on the USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) when it recovered Skylab II in 1973.

During Duane’s career in the Navy, he visited many places in the Pacific, as well as spending many months in the Tonkin Gulf and served in country Viet Nam. He was a member of the American Legion and the VFW.

After leaving the Navy in 1976, the family returned to Plainview and farmed with Duane’s father. Duane has driven a school bus, worked as an associate real estate broker with Carol Crabtree and served as the Pierce County Assessor for over nine years.

Duane enjoyed going to his grandchildren’s dance recitals and softball and baseball games. He often traveled great distances in order to go to their state tournaments. Sometimes on back to back weekends to opposite ends of the state. When his COPD made it difficult to go to the games, he would listen to them on the radio if one was available.

Duane is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Mary Ann, daughters Kelly Dean of Omaha and Kimberly (Scott) Miller of Kennard, and grandchildren Molly, Sydney, Jacob and Joshua Miller of Kennard.