DEAN WOLFE obituary

CHESTER - Dean Rodney "Deano" Wolfe, 71, of Chester died Sunday, July 10, 2005, at the Liberty County Hospital in Chester.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. Burial will follow at the Erickson Cemetery south of Chester.

Dean was born Dec. 24, 1933 at Havre to Daniel and Josephine (Steen) Wolfe. He grew up on the family farm south of Chester and attended the Erickson country school nearby. He finished his schooling in Chester and graduated from Chester High School in 1951. The following year, he continued his formal education at Northern Montana College in Havre, where he studied industrial arts.

On Dec. 11, 1953, Dean married his high school sweetheart, Fay M. Heimbigner, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. They initially farmed with his folks, then acquired some neighboring farmland, including the old Gunder Strand place.

In the late 1970s, the Wolfes and several friends purchased Laas' Bar in Chester. They helped operate the lounge, restaurant and dancehall about 10 years before selling it.

In the early 1980s, a group of Hi-Line investors, including Dean and Fay, was instrumental in the development of the Meadowlake Golf Course in Columbia Falls. After a few years, the Wolfes sold their interests in the project.

Dean and Fay moved into Chester in 1982. They retired from farming in 1998 and continued to make Chester their home.

Dean was an active community person. He was a longtime member of the Joplin Masonic Lodge, a charter member of the Chester Lions Club, and a member of the Chester Jaycees. In addition, Dean was a confirmed member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. He also held membership in the N.R.A.

During his high school days, Dean participated in basketball, played the saxophone in the school band, and served as one of several male cheerleaders. His love for sports continued and he enjoyed pitching in adult baseball and softball leagues. He also enjoyed archery, hunting, fishing, dancing, boating and snowmobiling. Dean looked forward to the annual trips with the local guys to Augusta and Benchmark in the 1970s and '80s. In 1973, the Wolfes bought a diesel bus, which was converted to a camper.

Dean enjoyed vegetable gardening and was a good cook. Recently, he tried his hand at amateur wine-making. He liked to play his accordion and collected old coins. During his quiet time at home, he enjoyed reading sports and outdoors magazines, and he liked to watch Fox News on television.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Delmar Wolfe; sisters, Anna Mae Hanson and Maxine (Leo) Wigen; and grandson, Bradley Lancaster.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Fay Wolfe of Chester; children, Deanna (Don) Hull of Chester, Rod Wolfe of Chester, Tracie (Rob) Romanchuk of Homer, Alaska, and Jan Wolfe and her special friend, Dave Winegar, of Great Falls; six grandchildren; brothers, Kenneth (Betty Jean) Wolfe of Chester and Roger (Fay) Wolfe of Chester; sister-in-law, Gerry Wolfe of Chester; brother-in-law, Albert Hanson of Chester; and numerous nephews and nieces.

Arrangements are by Rockman Funeral Chapel, Chester.