Dean Meyer

1938 - 2025

Dean Meyer

June 12, 1938 - September 23, 2025

Dean E. Meyer, 87 of Kensett, passed away peacefully Tuesday, September 23, 2025 surrounded by family at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 27, 2025 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 308 4th Ave, Grafton, IA 50440 with Rev. Paul Weeg officiating. He will be laid to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, September 26, 2025 at Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 1st Ave. South, Northwood, IA 50459 and continue one hour prior to the services at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton, North Iowa Hospice, or a place of your choosing.

Dean Earl Meyer was born June 12, 1938, the third son to Esther (Lemke) and Harry (Harris) Meyer at their farm in Ell Township, rural Garner, Iowa. He was delivered by Doctor Earl Phillips and grew up in a farming family that raised turkeys. All three Meyer boys earned the nickname "Turk", Don, Dale, and Dean.

As a young boy, Dean attended the country school just half a mile from home, riding his pony "King" each day. King had a habit of slipping his bridle off by noon, so Dean always had to carry it home. When country schools closed, Dean started sixth grade in Garner and was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. He played basketball, baseball and was active in FFA. Dean graduated as the youngest in his class in 1955.

On July 21, 1957, at the age of 19, Dean married Mardine Olson on her 18th birthday. Their wedding party included his two brothers as groomsmen and two Shirleys on Mardine's side, her best friend and her sister-in-law.

Dean and Mardine started their married life living briefly with his parents, then upstairs in an older farmhouse. In 1965, they moved to their own place in Kensett, Iowa, while joining First Lutheran Church in Northwood. They remained faithful members until 2012, when they joined Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton.

Dean was a dedicated farmer, working corn and soybeans in Barton Township from 1965 through 2017. He also did extensive custom work, grinding feed, baling, spraying, tiling, trucking, putting up Brock bins, and helping build pole barns. He served on the Northwood/Carpenter elevator board and one term on the Worth County extension council.

Dean enjoyed playing baseball with his brother, Dale, on the Burchinal Store team. He could also be found bowling, riding his motorcycle and hanging out in Carpenter on Tuesdays and Thursdays with friends and family.

Travel was a joy Dean and Mardine shared together. Starting in 1969, they took their first trip to California in their pickup camper and continued traveling there every other year through 1997. They eventually began annual winter trips to Texas, staying at various RV parks. In 2012, they took a memorable trip through the Panama Canal with friends and purchased a mobile home in Alamo, Texas. Dean also loved fishing trips to Canada with friends and nephews, visiting Poplar Point Resort and South Bay on Gull Rock.

Dean and Mardine were blessed to serve as sponsors for many cousins, friends, nieces, nephews and great-nieces; a testament to the love and faith they shared with their family.

Dean had in-home hospice care since July and spent his last nine days in the Lutheran Retirement Home. He is survived by his wife, Mardine; Dale and Shirley's children: Dennis and Kathy Meyer, Barb and Lyle Jass, Janet and Dave Solberg, Doug and Pam Meyer, Sandy and Dave Smith; Don and Shirley's children: Dan and Carol Meyer, Susan Meyer, Ron and Terri Meyer, Jeanine and Joe Mistretta, Randy Meyer, Tom and Malissa Meyer; sister-in-law, Shirley Meyer; sister-in-law, Darlene Polzin and her children: Mike and Mary Polzin, Scott and Andrea Polzin, Kelly and Lynne Polzin; and many great and great-great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; parents-in-law, Albert and Margery Olson; brothers, Don and Dale; brother-in-law, Harold Polzin; sister-in-law, Shirley Meyer; brother-in-law, Charles Olson; and nieces, Morgan Pommrehn-Jass, Linda Maynes and Kadyn Halverson.

Conner Colonial Chapel. 1008 1st Ave. South, Northwood, IA 50459. 641-324-1543. ColonialChapels.com