A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m Friday, April 12, 2019 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, cremation rites have been accorded, and burial will take place at Resthaven Cemetery following the Mass.
Dean was born on June 22, 1930, in Runnells, IA to Glen P. and Georgia M. (Wilson) McClaflin, the second of nine children. He graduated from Humeston High School and began working as an attendant at Weber’s Shell Station in the Beaverdale neighborhood. It was there that he met a customer, Marie Theresa Celsy who later became his bride on May 6, 1951.
Soon after, he was called to service during the Korean Conflict and served until 1954. Upon returning home, he continued his education at the American Institute of Business and Drake University. He went to work for Hawkeye Security Insurance Company and its sister company, Northeastern Insurance Company where he spent the next 29 years. While there, he earned his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and Associate in Reinsurance designations. He subsequently joined EMC Insurance Company where he was instrumental in guiding the growth of EMC’s Reinsurance Company. He retired as President of EMC Reinsurance Company and Vice President of EMC Insurance Company in 1995.
Dean had many hobbies over the years. He purchased a new 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air from what is now Bob Brown Chevrolet. Once the car was retired from daily use, he spent many months refurbishing the car and went on to win many awards at various car shows. In the fall of 2017, he sold the car back to Bob Brown Chevrolet. He was considered a local expert in the Classic Cars of that period and his guidance and advice was frequently sought.
Dean bowled in several leagues per week for decades, including senior leagues until a year and a half ago. He was a respected participant in many of the top Des Moines Classic Leagues over the years. He was also an accomplished golfer during the summer months
He was a past president of the Greater Des Moines Bowling Association and was inducted into the Des Moines Bowling Hall of Fame in 1996. He was a past president of the Tri-Five Chevy Club (now Classic Chevys of Central Iowa), President of his Home Owners Association while living in Johnston, IA, a longtime member of Des Moines Golf and Country Club and the Des Moines Golden K Kiwanis Club. He was also a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church which is where he and Marie were married.
His pride and joy was his family. Dean loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, brothers, sisters and many nieces and nephews and looked forward to Sunday dinners with whoever could come.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Marie; three sons, Jim, John (Leslie) and Mike (Lyse); grandchildren, Jenny (Kevin) Cline, Kevan, Andrew, Kyle, and Katie McClaflin; and great-grandchildren, Dean, William, and Georgia Cline; sisters, Ramona Porter and Frances (Tom) King; and brothers, Jim (Bonnie), Paul (Janice) and Rex (Julie); sisters-in-law, Ida Mae (Bill) Carpenter and Linda (Gary) Groves; and extended family too numerous to mention. Also surviving is Robert Jones who was like another son to Dean.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Georgia McClaflin; sister, Doris Burford; brothers, John and William McClaflin; and two grandsons, Jacob and Joseph McClaflin.
The family would like to thank the awesome staff at Edgewater who looked after, took care of, and loved him and Marie the last several months and Dr. Tom Buroker and his staff for their caring and compassionate treatment during Dean’s illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Blank Children’s Hospital Oncology Center or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Dean’s name.
