Dean began this journey in Seattle, Washington, the only child of Larry Johnson and Annette Dissel.
A graduate of Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, he joined the US Army and was posted in Germany and then, like so many of his generation, on to Vietnam where he served and survived with a love of the far and exotic that marked the rest of his life.
After his military service Dean returned to Seattle where he was a successful entrepreneur in furniture manufacturing and retail; then he relocated to San Francisco in 1974 where he began his long career in the travel industry.
First, as an employee of Tradewind Tours, and then for over 25 years with Creative Leisure International, he learned the business from the ground up, first in operations, and then came into his own as Vice President of Sales. A joyous extrovert, Dean had an endearing love of people… not to mention a phenomenal recall of the name of everyone he met.
Pursuing this career took him to Hawaii, his second home, as well as Europe, Mexico and Southeast Asia. Always eager to board an airplane to anywhere, he embraced everything and everyone and was much loved in return.
He is survived by his partner of 33 years, Mark Stevens, as well as numerous cousins in Portland, Seattle, Colorado, Montana and Utah.
He will be missed and never forgotten.
Aloha, My Love!
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