Eric Dean

Mr. Eric Kevin Dean, of Palisade, CO, passed away on Saturday, January 10, 2021 at the age of 64.

Eric was born to parents William Addison Dean and Pearl Walgenbach Dean on July 9, 1956 in Summit, NJ. He grew up as the youngest of three brothers (and a sister who passed before he was born). As a teenager Eric and his parents moved to Boulder, CO where he attended Fairview High School. Eric loved to tell the story of how, on a particularly windy day in the Colorado foothills, a gust swept him right onto the roof of the school.

After high school Eric became a mechanic. He was in a near-fatal car accident in Phoenix, AZ and had to give up being a mechanic as a profession but maintained his love of cars. He worked as a parts distributer in Lakewood, CO and continued with personal car restoration projects as time allowed. He was particularly proud of his muscle car restoration that he worked on after moving to Grand Junction, CO in the early 2000s. His last job was doing fleet maintenance for a plumbing company in Palisade, CO. Besides his love of cars, Eric was learning to play guitar and had a passion for 35 mm photography. He loved spending time on the Grand Mesa taking pictures and enjoying Colorado. He was also a stalwart Democrat and would have had some very choice things to say about the early events of 2021. Regardless of who was in the White House, Eric always had a sense of humor about our political situation.

Eric cared for his parents throughout their retirement, and moved with Pearl from Phoenix, AZ to Mt. Shasta, CA to Lakewood, CO and eventually settled in Grand Junction/Palisade, CO. He was an excellent neighbor in all of these locations, making friends with those around him, which helped Pearl keep a social life as she rarely left the house in her later years. Eric was unfailingly kind and caring to his parents and family. In his last few years he transferred his care to his cats, neighbors, and niece.

Eric is survived by his friends; his niece, Rachel Dean-Ruzicka; his nephews, John Dean and Andy Dean; and his brother, Robert Dean. He is preceded in death by his father and mother, William and Pearl Dean; his brother, James Dean; and his sister, Rita Dean.

Eric’s wishes were to be cremated and have his ashes scattered alongside his mother’s and father’s on the Grand Mesa. No date is yet set for this ceremony due to COVID-19. If you would like to make a donation in his honor, his niece suggests the Cats League and Assistance of the Western Slope (CLAWS) at https://www.clawsgj.org.

One of Eric’s favorite quotes was “Keep away from people who try to belittle you. Small people always do that. But the really great make you feel that you too, can become great.” ~Mark Twain. I hope that Eric knows he was one of the great people who did, indeed, make us feel as though we could ourselves be great.