Dean’s athleticism at Princeton — four years of soccer and a role as captain of the team senior year — likely helped him survive and completely recover from a heart attack and bypass surgery in 1999. He died of complications from ischemic cardiovascular disease May 16, 2015, at his Louisville, Ky., home. He was 83.
Born in Sante Fe, N.M., Dean arrived on campus from Henry B. Whitehorne High School. A chemical engineering major, he took his meals at Cannon Club and roomed with Don Marshall, Rocky O’Connell, and Bill Osgood. After military duty and earning a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado, he was recruited by BF Goodrich Tires and was based in Louisville until his retirement.
Women played a significant role in Dean’s life. He is survived by his wife, Mary Openhosky, whom he married in 1958; daughters Liane Brown, Pamela, Betsy Morris, Jodeane, and Carol Cain; seven granddaughters; and brother Richard. He was truly loved for his dedication to his family, which was his lifelong vocation.
According to his ladies, one of Dean’s favorite passages from Mitch Albom’s bestseller, Tuesdays with Morrie, is paraphrased: “As long as we can love each other and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away.”