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William & Josephine Dey Obituary
Born June 29, 1941 in Sedalia, he was the son of the late Edward H. and Dorothy H. Dey. Bill was a 1959 graduate of Waialua High School, Waialua, Oahu, Hawaii, a 1963 graduate of the University of Missouri-Rolla, where he obtained his degree in electrical engineering, and a graduate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he obtained his Masters in Business Administration. Bill and Josephine moved to Sedalia, where Bill had several businesses before he began teaching at Central Missouri State University. Bill then began working at State Fair Community College as Director of Business Affairs and after an esteemed career there, he retired in 2006.
Josephine "Jo" Catherine Burzynski Dey, 81, formerly of Sedalia, died Monday, February 3, 2025 in Alvin, Texas.
Born October 19, 1943 in Bielefeld, Germany, she was the daughter of the late Michael and Emilia Burzynski. Jo's life was marked by her devotion to family, her generosity, and her unwavering spirit. She was an artist and commercial sign painter while raising her three children. Jo received her Bachelors and Masters in Education from Central Missouri State University and found her calling as an art teacher at Heber Hunt Elementary and Smith-Cotton High School. She also served as the art coordinator for the Sedalia School District. Jo was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni of State Fair Community College. With a focus on multi-cultural awareness, Jo organized a U.S.-Soviet Union youth art exchange through CONNECT while teaching at Heber Hunt. She also organized several art and cultural exchange camps in her family's native Poland and nearby Hungary sponsored by the Kosciusko Foundation and UNESCO.
On January 21, 1967, at St. Stanislaus Church in Newark, New Jersey, Bill and Josephine were married, and they celebrated fifty years of marriage in 2017. The couple is survived by their three children, Catherine Ann (Shea) Cooney of Dupo, IL, Jane Dorothy (Gary) Elbert of League City, TX, and Michael Edward Dey of San Antonio, TX; their grandchildren, Zeena, Roman, Hannah, and Hudson; and their great-grandchildren, Izaak and Gwendolyn.
Bill was survived by his eight younger brothers and sisters, Sharon L. Dey of Sedalia, MO, Michael (Annette) Dey of Sumter, SC, Mericay (Richard) Michaels of Dillwyn, VA, Dorothy H. Dey (Roger Mellenberger) of Genesee, WI, Janet A. Dey of Atlanta, GA, Daniel C. (Mavis) Dey of Columbia, MO, John (Charlotte) Dey of Milwaukee, WI, and Thomas P. (Charity) Dey of Smithton, MO.
Josephine is survived by her brother, Michael Burzynski of Highlands Ranch, CO. She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard Burzynski, and her sister, Jane Savage.
A Memorial Mass for Bill and Josephine will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, St. Patrick Chapel in Sedalia, with Fr. Joe Corel as celebrant. Visitation will be from 10:00 until 10:40 A.M., with Recitation of the Rosary at 10:40 A.M. at the church. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorial contributions for Bill and Josephine are suggested to State Fair Community College Foundation at www.sfccmo.edu/foundation-alumni/foundation .
McLaughlin Funeral Chapel in Sedalia is in charge of the arrangements.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for William & Josephine Dey
1 Entry
John Dey
May 17, 2025
Cathy, Jane and Michael (and families),
Bill and Jo - was there ever a greater couple? My eldest bro he was, much different to me than the others I grew up with. You have to remember when he went off to college I was too young to remember him. My first memory is of him on a couch visiting the family. I knew him from a distance. But he intrigued me. He was free with his thoughts and comments. I remember him singing "Satisfaction" with Mick Jagger on the radio while driving. I remember him making me a chocolate milk and pouring more milk in as long as there was still chocolate in the bottom, like it was a rule. I felt so full. But at least a few times I did the same myself, and thought of him. When Cathy was young he would talk to me with fascination about her and the experience of being a father. Bill was a person who I knew believed in me. I felt that about Jo too. She appreciated my poetry as much as I appreciated her art. She really poured her life into you guys, and how she lived her grans. She leaves a hole in my heart, but I'll fill it with good memories and prayers. You're all in my thoughts today.
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