Dee Albert Brinegar

Dee Brinegar passed peacefully in the evening of June 2, 2025, at La Villa Grande care center in Grand Junction. Over his last days, he had many visits from family and friends, especially his daughter Allison, his wife Pat, and his beloved dog Willie.

Dee was born on December 18, 1931 to John Fredrick and Helen Crockett Brinegar on the family farm in Carleton, Nebraska. He was raised in Carleton and worked on the family farm, graduating from Carleton High School. He began collegiate studies at Fairbury Junior College before enlisting in the US Air Force and being deployed to the Korean War. Upon return, Dee attended the University of Nebraska to complete a degree in Business.

At Nebraska, he met and fell in love with Pat Allis (Hastings, NE), and they married in Hastings. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Denver, Colorado, where Dee worked and obtained a Masters of Accounting from the University of Denver.

While in Denver, they started a family, with John, Tom, and Allison. Dee and Pat moved to Grand Junction with their kids in 1968, and Dee took a partnership with the firm of Maxfield, Miller, Brinegar, and Lowe, and worked as a CPA for years. Following that, he worked as the Controller for Gay Johnson’s, Inc. up to the age of 88.

Dee was a long-time member of the Grand Junction Rotary Club, and served in multiple offices within the organization. He loved golf, gardening, reading, traveling, and (of course) Nebraska Cornhusker and Broncos football.

His family were asked for words to describe Dee:

• Loyal: Dee was loyal to his family, the US Air Force, the Grand Junction Rotary Club, the University of Nebraska, and all of his good friends.

• Generous: Dee’s focus was generous service to others. He was a bell ringer for the Salvation Army many years, and donated much to the Grand Junction Rotary Foundation, earning the Paul Harris Fellow award. Most importantly, he was generous with his time and love with his family and large group of friends.

• Fun: Although a hard worker his whole life, Dee knew how to have fun and bring the fun to people around him, whether golf games, Lake Powell, the outdoors, travel, or ‘Camp Nana and Grampie’ for his loving grandchildren. His friends will also attest to him being an occasional practical joker.

• Adventurous: When his kids said ‘let’s climb a fourteener’ he said ‘let’s go’. When Pat said ‘let’s go on a trip to xyz’, he said ‘I’ll start packing’. Dee was open to anything, and relished the idea of having a new adventure.

• Constant: Dee handled all the ups and downs in life with aplomb. He was always there for his family, as well. His loyalty and constancy allowed him to serve Rotary faithfully for many years, and to provide great value to his employers. Among his favorite sayings were ‘Roll with the punches’ and ‘It is what it is’.

• Kind: He was kind to everyone he met, regardless of circumstance. His kindness to friends and family was well known, especially when those people needed kindness the most. His generosity to causes like the Salvation Army and the Grand Junction Rotary Foundation were indications of his kindness and support for people that he never met.

Dee is survived by his wife of 66 years, Pat, children John (Cecilia) and grandchildren Nick, Andy, and Tom; Tom (Camela), grandchild Brady, and great-granddaughter Brooklynn; Allison (Marc McAtlin), grandchildren Brenna and Connor; sister Nelda Sanner of Davenport, NE.

Dee will be interred at the VA Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction in a private ceremony for the family. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers and other gifts, donations be made to the Grand Junction Rotary Foundation in Dee’s memory (P.O. Box 1888, Grand Junction, CO 81502) or email [email protected].

Our love and many thanks to the entire staff at La Villa Grande and the Hope West hospice team for their excellent care and concern for Dee.