Jodelle "Jody" Dean

Jodelle van Es Dean
Jody Dean was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, dear sister and aunt, and a cherished friend. She passed away peacefully on March 9, 2024 with family at her side.
Born in 1931 to Josua H. van Es and Adele (Johnson) van Es in Pittsburgh, PA, she was named Jodelle as the firstborn child of 'Joe' and 'Del.' Jody's family moved to the Philadelphia area when she was young, and she completed her schooling in Upper Darby, PA.
Jody attended Penn State University, where she majored in Home Economics. A child of artists, she channeled her creativity into sewing clothes and even designing furniture. It was also at Penn State that Jody met Jim (James) Dean, who became her beloved husband of 67 years. They were married on November 26, 1955, by Jim's father at Aldan Union Church.
Between college graduation and marriage, while Jim was serving in Korea, Jody took her first job as a county Home Economist/Extension Agent in central Pennsylvania. She was suddenly forced to learn to drive a car for the first time, in order to serve multiple counties in her area.
Shortly after their marriage, Jody and Jim moved to the Midwest, where Jim began a long career with Hormel Foods. His career took them to Austin, MN; Fremont, NE; Audubon, IA; Atlantic, IA; and finally to Cresco, IA in 1982. While living in Audubon, Jody worked part-time as a Home Economist/Extension Agent, and she also had a newspaper column.
Jody and Jim raised two daughters, Cynthia and Marcia, and developed many great friendships throughout the years, especially in Audubon, Atlantic, and Cresco. She volunteered as a 4-H leader and Awana leader. Jody was active in Christian Women's Club and in the Genealogy Society. Her avid interest in genealogy led to new friendships, and she filled multiple notebooks with information on both sides of the family tree. They often traveled to visit family, and enjoyed spending a few winters in Texas. A trip to Sweden to meet some of Jody's distant relations was their 'trip of a lifetime.'
She is remembered by her friends as being a loving, caring woman of faith. She loved to laugh and always made others feel welcome in her home. Jody was immensely proud of her daughters and her grandchildren, and loved being near her great-grandchildren, who brought her so much joy.
Jody was preceded in death by her parents Joe and Adele, her husband Jim, sister Valerie, nephew Michael Dean, son-in-law Manuel Gomez, and twin great-grandsons Silas and Lucius Gomez.
She is survived by daughter Cynthia (Jay) Baldwin; daughter Marcia (Bob) Grimm; grandchildren Salvador (Abby) Gomez, Alex Baldwin, Emilio Gomez, Danny Baldwin, Sean Grimm, and Brian Grimm; and great-grandchildren Gwenn Gomez, Lola Gomez, and Luka Gomez.