Dean Atchison Walen

Dean Atchison Walen

1952-2024

Devoted Father, much loved Friend and avid tennis and pickleball player Dean Walen reached the end of his life’s journey on Tuesday Oct. 1 st at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Hospital in Boise, ID. He died surrounded by his Buddhist sister Tracey Walen, his loving son Ben Walen, and his devoted partner Nomeca Hartwell.

He was born May 25 th , 1952 to Donald and Elizabeth Walen in Englewood, NJ. The family moved to Redwing, Minnesota in 1966 and he graduated from Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep school in Faribault, MN. Among the last to be drafted during the Vietnam war, he entered the Army on June 23, 1972, served in Germany and was honorably discharged on June 15, 1974. He earned a National Defense Service Medal and a Marksman M16 rifle badge. He headed to the University of Minnesota where he got a degree in Mechanical engineering and worked for a while for Honeywell. 

On July 27,1985 he married the love of his life, Mary E. Moser, a college professor, daughter of William Moser and Helen Shaver. Two years later their son Ben Moser Walen was born in Carlisle, PA ( June 2 ,1987). After a valiant year battle with breast cancer, Mary passed away June 27th , 1996 and Dean left his work to become a full time parent. Among assorted enterprises, he coached the women’s golf team at nearby Dickinson College. After his son graduated, he moved to N. Carolina and then spent time in Arizona with his High School sweetheart, Bebe Brookfield. Around 2017 they went their separate ways and Dean chose to follow his son to Grants Pass where he took to the growing sport of Pickleball. He loved sharing his enthusiasm for the sport and was a kind and patient teacher. Always young at heart he spread a lot of joy and fun to those around him, overcoming a lot of pain to live life to the fullest. His exploratory trip with Nomeca to the Big Island for the Hawaiian Pickleball Open was undoubtedly a highlight of his life and he never stopped hoping to get back there. He had a marvelous mustache , charming ways and wrote thoughtful and wonderful loving messages to his life Partner, Nomeca. He will be greatly missed. 

He is survived by his sister Tracey Walen, Associate Teacher at Hokyoji Zen Practice Community, MN, her twin sister Deborah Walen, younger brother Andy (Chip) Walen, son Ben Walen, OR State Forest Resources Manager in Redmond, OR and loving companion and partner Nomeca Hartwell.

A celebration of life will be held at Stephens Family Chapel on  March 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to:

The Fisher House or Rogue Pickleball Club, c/o Lisa Woodruff

PO Box 791558/ Baltimore,MD 212797 707 SE 7 th St./ Grants Pass,OR 97526