Dean Peter Stanley

Dean Peter Stanley died on September 28, 2025, at his home surrounded by close family. He was ninety years old having celebrated his birthday, a key accomplishment for him, a couple of weeks prior on September 11, 2025 (b. 9/11/35).

Dean is survived by his children: Dean (Kellie) Stanley II and Nancy (Raymond) Kassab. He has eleven grandchildren: Amanda Latesky, Emilie Stanley, Catherine Stanley, Hannah Kassab, Nathan (Miranda) Kassab, Isabelle (Justin) Straessle, Gabriel (Bailey) Kassab, Dean Stanley III, Elizabeth Kassab, Veronica Kassab and William Stanley; eight great-grandchildren: Faith Mackenzie, Layne Stanley, Junior Stanley, Ellen Stanley, Emersyn Kassab, Cameron Kassab, Georgia Kassab and Beckett Kassab; and three sisters, Jerrie Pritzlaff, Karen Hrbacek and Marjorie Schmidt.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Eleanore Stanley; brothers, Loren Stanley and David Stanley; beloved wife of sixty-three years, Myrna (DuBois) Stanley; in-laws, Warren and Alice DuBois; and daughter, Alice (Robert) Borschelt.

Dean was born in Minneapolis, MN and grew up in Milwaukee, WI. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in early 1959. He started working shortly thereafter at International Harvester in Fort Wayne, IN as a Test Engineer in the engine laboratory. In 1964 he became a Product Engineer, working on diesel engines for five years and then five years as Chief Engineer Gasoline Exhaust Emissions. Dean left the engineering design and development function in 1974 and gained new experiences with planning for the Engineering Department for two years and later, Heavy Duty Trucks for two years, two years as Assistant Plant Manager at the Springfield, OH assembly plant and two years as the Manager, Medium Duty Engineering. In 1981, Dean was announced at the Vice President, Engineering and later in 1984 was elected as a Corporate Vice President, Engineering and an Officer of the company. In 1988, he was transferred to the Navistar World Headquarters in Chicago, IL as the Vice President, Corporate Technology, which eventually included Environmental Affairs, Total Quality Management and Corporate Technology. Dean retired on February 1, 1997 as Corporate Vice President, Quality Management and Technology and an executive officer of Navistar International Transportation Corporation.

In 1999, he was recruited to be the IPFW Interim Dean, School of Business and Management Sciences (SBMS) and visiting Professor of Business Administration for the 1999-2000 academic year, where among many accomplishments, set the foundation for retaining its AACSB accreditation in 2001 and helped foster re-establishing SMBS relationships with the local business community.

Dean’s honors include certification in 1963 as a registered professional engineer, 1976 Master of Science in Business Administration degree from Indiana-Purdue University – Fort Wayne (IPFW),1980 Citizen Engineer from the northeastern chapters of the National Society of Professional Engineers, 1985 IPFW Distinguished Business Alumnus, 1988 SAE Forrest R. McFarland Award for Session Organizing, Chicago Manufacturing Center Board of Directors (1990s), Northwestern University Advisory Boards (four advisory boards during the 1990s), 1999 SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering Operation Exemplary Service Award, 2000 IPFW Distinguished Service Award, University of Wisconsin College of Engineering Vision 2000 Leadership Committee and Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences Advisory Board Chair (2001 – 2003), CU-ICAR program development and Emeritus Board Member. Some of the industry and trade organizations that he was active in were the Indiana (President, 1977-78) and National Society of Professional Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Motor Vehicles Manufacturers Association (MVMA), Convergence electronics conference, Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA), American Society for Quality (ASQ), Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), Chicago Manufacturing Center, among many others.

Dean enjoyed a comfortable twenty-eight year retirement with traveling, woodworking, photography, golf, reading and sports, and being devoted to his wife, Myrna. He prayed the Rosary and Liturgy of the Hours every day. Dean and Myrna focused on their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, supporting and inspiring all of them.

A funeral service will be held for Dean on Friday, October 3rd at 11:00 AM at the Crown Hill Funeral Home Gothic Chapel, 700 W 38th St Indianapolis, IN 46208.