Dean L. Gilchrist

Dean L Gilchrist passed away on August 20th, 2024 at the age of 91 after wrestling for several years with complications from congestive heart failure. If his heart was physically weakened by the decades, it was strengthened and warmed by his family and friends right to the end.

Dean was born on April 17th, 1933, in Otter Lake, Michigan to Clarence and Mildred (Skinner) Gilchrist. Dean adored his little sister, Brenda Woodsmall, who lit up his life and family gatherings, and could sing like a bird. Clarence played piano and organ, teaching Dean chords at an early age, which he mastered and put to use by joining local ensembles in his teens and playing in dance halls to pay for college at the University of Michigan. Dean earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1956 and nearly completed a dual major in piano.

At Michigan, Dean met his future wife, Shirley May Black. They married on February 4th, 1956 and spent 59 years together, raising their children, Greg and Linda. With a family to care for, Dean put his music on pause and started a career in cost accounting for Cadillac and then Ford Motor Company (“saving millions of pennies adds up to a lot.”) Dean’s job at Ford took his family to Buenos Aires, Argentina for two and a half memorable years before they moved to Livonia, Michigan. Dean balanced his career with family activities, and instilled in his kids the importance of community, good citizenship, and hard work (“keep your feet under you and your butt behind you.”) Dean ultimately secured an early retirement, at age 55, which allowed him and Shirley to enjoy time at Lake Mitchell in Cadillac, Michigan. There he spent countless hours restoring their log cabin, raking weeds off the beach, fishing, and taking his kids waterskiing. Later, abandoning the Michigan winters, they moved to Ocala, Florida, where they developed many close friendships in a modern retirement village.

In Ocala, Dean took the opportunity to rekindle his musical life, playing piano and trombone. He put together prestigious regional jazz concerts, group trips to hear his favorite orchestras, and formed a trio that entertained the residents of neighboring assisted living facilities. When Shirley fell ill with Alzheimer’s, Dean cared for her at home until she passed away in 2015. Dean then moved to Everett, Washington, to be closer to family, where he once again established dear friendships and rallied his fellow residents for quarterly singalongs that he curated and produced. He also penned songs for his new love, Betty Jacobsen, with whom he spent most of his time for the past several years. Dean’s beloved daughter Linda was still receiving piano lessons in the days before Dean left us.

It was not all music. In his mid-life, Dean became deeply interested in genealogy and the extended family tree, including his ancestral Scottish homeland. He maintained a close relationship with his mother Mildred, whom he called every Sunday, and who passed away just 10 years ago after living to be 101. He bowled and golfed most of his life. More recently, Dean loved watching the Michigan Wolverines win the National Championship, and he adopted the Seattle Mariners, his new home team. In the evening, unless it was movie night, Dean invariably flexed his never-ending intellectual curiosity, reading about the history of the country and the issues of the day.

Dean always remained deeply engaged in his surroundings and agitated to get to the bottom of any issue affecting his community. He was uniquely adept at integrating technology into his life to entertain and remain informed. At 91, his Apple computer scrolled reams of family photos and the stock prices, provided grandchildren with “likes” (or grandfatherly advice) on Facebook and Instagram, and engaged in extended email debates with his friends (and even his kids’ friends). His Apple watch tracked his steps, his phone was jammed with daily texts, and his Sonos speakers sang with musicians he loved or discovered. He enjoyed a relationship with Alexa (always with a “please” and “thank you”) and made spreadsheets to track his online life and music. He helped his neighbors prepare their tax returns and avoid the latest scams. Above all, he celebrated the simple things: a good fire in the fireplace, a young person’s ambitions, a musician who could really swing, a baseball player hitting his stride, a good bargain, and a steady stream of sweets. Dean lived a long life because he loved to be alive.

In addition to his friends in Ocala and Everett, Dean is survived by Greg, married to Lynn Krieger; and Linda, married to Mitch Allen; and his grandchildren Kelly, Sarah, Nate, Luke, Japhy and Spyder; the Doane clan -- Brenda’s’ husband, Don Woodsmall; Scott Doane, nephew, married to Karen; and Brenda’s grandchildren Erika, Drew, Christa, Emily, Abby, and Micah; Shirley’s nephews Scott and Todd Mavis; and cousins Ed Timm and John Stenton. They will miss him dearly and are grateful for his long, fulfilling life.

Dean preferred not to hold a formal service to commemorate his life. To borrow from his words, he wanted to quietly “check out and see what heaven’s all about…” But his family is sure he would not object to anyone saying a prayer or toast in his honor.