Dean Widner, 89, passed away at home on May 22, 2020 after a long, hard battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Dean was born on July 25, 1930 in Girard, Kansas to Orville and Gladys Widner. He was the youngest of three children. The family moved to Colorado when Dean was 4 and ended up in Denver where he received his primary and secondary education. Dean went on to attend Rockmont College earning his B.A. in Sacred Music. During this time, he traveled for the college on his summer breaks performing in a brass quartet. He then attended Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and earned his Master’s degree in Organ in 1955. Besides organ, he excelled in piano and trumpet and played them for many church services and gatherings throughout his life. Though music was his passion, he ended up spending his career with Western Electric and AT&T.
He met the love of his life, Barbara Johnson, in the youth group at Bethel Baptist Church in South Denver. Starting at 16 years of age, they dated on and off for seven years and finally married in August 1953. During the first few years of marriage, Dean taught music at Omaha Baptist Bible Institute while Barbara taught at an elementary school. Soon after, their daughter Denise was born, followed by another daughter Julie, and a son, Daniel. Dean then changed careers and started working at Western Electric eventually being transferred back to Colorado to be closer to their extended families and parents. They settled in Broomfield in 1970 and finally moved to their retirement home in Westminster in 1991.
Dean will be remembered for the beautiful music that he blessed so many by playing, his joy of camping, fishing, and traveling, and being a great Dad, husband, and Grandpa.
Dean is predeceased by his wife Barbara, his son Daniel, his parents Orville and Gladys Widner, sister Evelyn Ryan, and brother Derrell Widner.
He is survived by daughters Denise Widner and Julie (Randy) Brandt, and granddaughters Sarah Brandt and Rebecca Brandt.
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