J. Alan Dean

Alan Dean of Surry, passed from this life at age 61 on Saturday the 24th of March. He had fought his battle with Pancreatic Cancer on his own terms, and after finding out 6 months ago he was in the terminal phase, he lived his life as fully and richly as he possibly could. He spent his last week enjoying the wonderful burst of Spring and talking with his beloved family and friends. He passed peacefully in the care of his friends and his hospice nurse.

Alan deeply cared for his family and friends and was touched and humbled by the many acts of kindness shown him in his final journey. He was an accomplished craftsman in wood and metal, and an avid classic car enthusiast, builder and restorer and his creations and gifts stand as his physical legacy. His legacy of the heart is found in the lives he touched and his friends, family and co-workers relationships.

Alan began this life in Concord, MA as the second son of John and Joyce (Stafford) Dean of Chelmsford Mass, where he grew up and attended school. He is an alumnus of Chelmsford High School Class of 1970, and a graduate of East Coast AeroTech. He served in the US Army during the Viet Nam era, where he excelled at repairing radio equipment.

His technical career spanned the Aircraft Industry as a certified mechanic at Pratt and Whitney, Service Technician for the 3M Company, Medical Manufacturing at CR Bard, and for the past 15 years had been an accomplished service technician with the Keene Gas Company. He spoke with fondness and pride of his relationships and accomplishments while at CR Bard and especially during his career with Keene Gas. Alan said the finest work he did was after figuring out the technical problem and repairing it, was to serve the customers of his company. He had a deep and abiding respect and affection particularly for the seniors and elders for whom he did service work and a profound respect for the men and women of the WWII Service Generation. He would listen to their stories and recognized that he might be the only person some of his customers saw on some days and listened sincerely and caringly to them, feeling that serving the customer meant caring about them as well.

Alan was a man who chose to be a father. He actively supported and lead in his son's activities in Little League baseball, and Cub Scouts. His mechanical wizardry enabled him to build or repair almost anything - one day restoring a go cart and then enjoying it with his son, in later years they both actively pursued snowmobiling as family and club members with his father-in-law, spending many great days out-of¬ -doors. His support and love of his son were reflected in his quiet gifts and deep caring which one had to know Alan to see.

His personal greatest achievements were the restoration of a 1969 Grande Mustang, a 1969 Mustang Mach One and hand building a classic street rod from a 1932 Model T. He and his companion and good friend spent hours cruising and

doing the Car Show/Cruise night circuit and he was a member of the Monadnock Oldies Car Club. He had restored a 1946 FarmAll tractor, "Betsy" and used her for chores and work on his beloved property in the hills above Surry Village. He was also a craftsman in wood, and his personal masterpiece was the hand designing and building over 2 years of a 7 foot tall Grandfather Clock.

Alan served as a crew member and official photographer for the Yankee Siege Engine, the World Record Holding "Punkin Chunkin" Trebuchet of Greenfield NH. He enjoyed and attended the annual Punkin Chunkin competition held each year in Delaware.

His survivors include his companion and good friend Jennifer Richardson of Keene, ,his son Brandon Dean of Keene; brother Roger Dean and his wife Marlis, of Woodbridge and Colonial Beach VA; sister Brenda Sullivan and her husband Bernie of Andover Mass, sister Nancy Jakway and her husband David of Sullivan; and nieces Hope Beaudet and husband Kevin, of Haverill, MA, Elise Wyman, and husband Jason of Surry, and Holly Sullivan of Amesbury, MA, two granddaughters, Katherine Johanna Dean and Zoe Violet Skye Dean and his former wife and friend of 30 years, Debbie Ball and her husband Robert who also served as Alan's Hospice Nurse.

Viewing hours will be Friday the 30th of March from 6-8 PM at Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 33 Marlboro St., Keene, NH. There will be a celebration of Alan’s life and relationships on Saturday the 31st of March at 10 AM also at the funeral home.

Flowers gratefully accepted, however if parties wish, donations may be made in lieu of flowers to The Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, 66 Benning Street, Suite 6, West Lebanon, NH 03784-3407 or a charity of one's choice.