Passed away 29, October 2017 at the age of 87. He was born in Long Beach, California to Margaret Kraai and Martin R DeYoung on 4, October 1930. He was preceded in death by his parents and his youngest son Cristen Layne DeYoung.
He was raised in southern California and experienced the last of the Hoover Administration, and all of FDR's Administration.
He had many interesting work experiences. He and a good friend rebuilt a WWII surplus landing craft into a 36' fishing boat and did commercial fishing off the coast of California and Mexico. As a young man he was a lead man in a factory making bomb fins and worked in construction.
Dean served in the Navy Reserve, but had a strong desire to learn how to fly, so he later enlisted in the Air Force.
While waiting to hear if he had been accepted in Officers Candidate School, he went home on leave to visit his widowed mother. After a few days he was ready to return to the base, but thought he would attend church first. The father of a good friend serving a mission in Sweden, introduced him to a nice girl, Marie Gardner. He thought she was worth getting to know. On another date, she invited him to go to MIA. His leave time was running out, so, he called his base and asked for an extension on his leave, which was granted. It was really worth while getting to know Marie. She was and is the "Greatest Gal". About 9 months later, 1 June 1953, the Bishop married them in Compton, California. Five days later they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple.
Dean worked as a Radar Intercept Officer on the F94 for a period of time, and then he applied to Pilot Training School. After graduation, he flew many different aircraft. Early in his career he flew KC97s and KC135s which were the planes that refueled the bombers. His squadron's motto was, "We pass gas".
Dean flew two combat planes, the .09 Mach and the Cessna O1E. He served in the Vietnam War as a Forward Air Controller flying the O1E. He was what they called a "Bird Dog".
The most interesting and fun assignment Dean had was, Special Project Office Assigned to the Air Force- Special Weapons Center, flying a NC135 Aircraft for the Atomic Energy Commission.
Together Dean and Marie had five children, three girls and two boys: Joan (Terry) Trentadue from Montpelier, Virginia; Curtis (Michelle) DeYoung from Draper, Utah; Judy (Brian) Sabin from Tomball, Texas; Cris (Robyn DeYoung Shoaf) from Cedar City, Utah; Ann (Duane) Callahan from Sandy, Utah. There are 19 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren that will be missing their grandfather.
Dean always said the children turned out quite well, but it was all Marie's fault because he was not home often enough to help.
After retirement, Dean and Marie had some exciting, fun, interesting times. They were able to serve missions in the Sandy Employment Office, the Bangalore India Mission, the Kenya Nairobi Mission-Africa, and the Auckland New Zealand Mission.
IN ALL- IT WAS A GOOD LIFE. (These are Dean's words)
Funeral services will be held Sat., Nov. 4, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. in the River View Chapel, 288 W. River Chapel Road (11600 So.), where a visitation will be held Sat. 9:00-9:45 a.m. Interment Larkin Sunset Gardens. Online condolences: www.larkincares.com. In lieu of flowers donation in his memory may be made to the LDS Missionary Fund or to the LDS Humanitarian Fund.
