Dean Pershing Goodnight

May 31, 2013 - October 21, 2013

Dean passed away peacefully while sleeping in his big recliner at 8:45 a.m. on Monday, October 21, 2014. Laura Olson, the Director of Fountain View Village Assisted Living, as well as the very caring Hospice nurse, Colleen, called me with this finally message. My sincerest apologies for the delay in contacting each of you, but I was en route to Denver for an art show and did not have all of your contact information with me.

Dean was born on May 18, 1918, the youngest of 12 children. He is survived by many nieces and nephews, many of us who always considered him our "Favorite Uncle." As a niece, I don't have exact dates, so please excuse the approximations, but I wanted to share with each of you all I have learned about our Favorite Uncle.

Dean served in World War II. What we did not know was that he earned a Bronze Star. What I found in his files was remarkable as Dean was the stenographer for Colonel George W. Read, Jr, who served under General Patton. Dean's Squadron landed on Utah Beach "0550B 22 July 1944". I have his daily typed notes from this landing as he marched through France into Bastogne on Dec 31 - Jan 14 and then on into Germany, ending May 5 in Altenburg, Germany. In Dean's files are two profound photos dated April 1945, Buchenwald, Germany: "A trailer load of murdered political prisoners. Notice the heap of bodies in the background." A second photo is of "Ovens where political prisoners, etc. were burned by German S S Troops." As time permits, I will electronically scan these notes and make them available to anyone who requests them. I also will find the proper placed to donate the original notes and photos, such as the World War II Museum.

The part of Dean's life that we did know, was that he worked for Motorola for many years and volunteered for Scottsdale Healthcare for 25th years after retiring from Motorola. He lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for at least four decades sharing his home on Sage with Bill Walters, until Bills' death (about 25 years ago). Dean lived in his home on Sage until he fractured his hip in a fall December, 2010. My husband and I got Dean (against his will) into Emergency and from there to Fountain View Village Skilled Nursing. What is alarming is that when we relocated him to his apartment at the Fountain View Village Assisted Living, he never knew he no longer lived on Sage! This, however was good news, for when I had tried to persuade him to look into some type of Assisted Living, he had very coherently told me "Veryl, I love you for what you are trying to do, but I value my independence more than anything." That was one month before he broke his hip.

Dean had his independence in Fountain View Village, at first walking the hallways with the assistance of a walker, opening doors for the ladies, consoling others, and thinking that he owned the entire building. He had three proposals that I know of, as he charmed everyone. The past six months, however, saw a steady decline. Dean covered well for no longer recognizing anyone but greeting us with a big smile and saying "Hello My Friend." He loved his big brown recliner, his Tilley Hat, and chocolates.

We all have wonderful memories of a good friend and our "Favorite Uncle." How lucky he was to have survived World War II and to have lived a long and happy life "out of the snow" in Arizona. And how lucky we all were to have him in our lives.