Dean R. Shockley

Dean R. Shockley, age 59, passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Hospital on March 16, 2025 after a long, and courageous battle with brain cancer.

Dean was born on August 17, 1965 in Jefferson City, Missouri to Dennis “DJ” Shockley of Cuba, MO, and June Wacker of Owensville, Missouri. He lived most of his life in the Owensville area and until he later moved St. Charles, Missouri.

Dean attended Owensville Schools and graduated from Linn Tech. He served in the USAF as a Staff Sergeant and also served in the Air National Guard. He worked at Husky Corp for twenty-three years, serving as maintenance manager.

On May 3, 2014 he married his soulmate, Garlanda Shockley (nee Pyatt) and became her sweet prince. They enjoyed a marriage of true love and happiness. They enjoyed time with grandkids, family & friends, going dancing, and going on fishing trips.  

Dean was well loved and well thought of. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to whomever was in need. He enjoyed bass fishing, a good game of cornhole or a game of Farkel with the family. He loved nothing more than a good dad joke. Dean was a family man and loved his family with all his heart. His greatest joy was spending time with his grandkids. He loved playing with them and teaching them new things. He also enjoyed making pancakes, especially with the grandkids. He had a playful spirit and a servant’s heart.

Dean was a great musician, playing the drums and bass guitar, and even sang from time to time. He was in a band since he was a teenager; whether it was a school band, a band that played on the weekends, the Air Force Band, or on a worship team. Dean served on the worship team at Villa Ridge Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Owensville; he later came to play for Family Church of Lake St. Louis and Injoy Christian Fellowship of Leasburg.

He is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Kenneth and Theresa Tate; and paternal grandparents, Donald and Pearl Shockley.

Dean leaves behind his loving wife, Garlanda Shockley; three children, Ashley (Aaron) Olson of Albuquerque, NM, Shaina Shockley of St. Charles, MO, Alesha Shockley of Owensville, MO; four step-children, Seth Pyatt of New York, Jonathan Kitchen of St. Charles, MO, Chad Kitchen of St. Louis, MO, and Mackenzie Kitchen of St. Charles, MO. He also leaves behind nine grandchildren, Josiah, Titus, and Lexi Olson, Elias Dyer, Marinella Fernandez, Elora, Sophia, Killian Kitchen, Ila Martinez; his parents Dennis (Alice) Shockley of Cuba, MO and June Wacker of Owensville, MO; two sisters; Jill (Tim Sundstrom) Kratky of Arnold, MO, and Wendy Ferguson of Virginia, nieces, nephews, and many other family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dean's name to the Glioblastoma Association https://www.abta.org/tumor_types/glioblastoma-gbm/?campaign=470869