DEAN, RICHARD (DICK) BERNARD Born on March 18, 1937, died peacefully, surrounded by family, at Hospice Wellington in Guelph, Ontario on January 4, 2020. He was predeceased by his parents, Ona (Cable) and Harry. He is survived by his wife Doreen (nee Brown), his sisters Donna (McCracken) and Diane (Francis Nicholson), his brother Peter (Lynda Hart), his children Richard (Koren Volk), Steven and James (Katie Dean), his grandchildren Logan, Rachel, Samantha and Brittney and his great-grandchildren. Dick was born and raised in Toronto. He shared fond memories of growing up, his time spent with his Granny Dean and working part time with his father at Steele, Briggs Seeds. He married his sweetheart Doreen on July 9, 1960 and spent the rest of his life with her.
Dick played football as a youth, which led to his lifelong, unflagging support for the Toronto Argonauts. He enjoyed his Season Tickets and sharing them with family and friends. He adopted the Blue Jays when they flocked to Toronto and they served as a useful back up when the Argos weren’t having the best year. Dick’s other passion was theatre, particularly that of the musical kind. He performed and wrote original musicals in University with his co-writer Stan Farrow. Stan and his wife Barb became lifelong friends, attending performances together for decades. Dick gave up his dreams of Broadway for his family and a career in Education, but his love for theater continued unabated as he served as the Artistic Director of the Scarborough Choral Society for thirty-plus years. Though “Howdy Dude” never made it to Broadway, there is a seat named in Dick and Doreen’s honour at a New York theatre that has given birth to four Broadway shows. Dick found a new love in Education, which lasted his entire career.
Whether as a Teacher or a Principal with the Scarborough Board of Education, he never tired of sharing knowledge and guiding young lives. His career also brought him many lasting friendships with a number of colleagues that continued long after his retirement through social “Poker nights”. Always artistic and crafty, Dick had an innate talent for drawing, coupled with a boundless imagination. Perhaps his pinnacle achievement in this regard was turning loose Lake Ontario beach stones into beloved “Dickie-Doo”. All the kids remember adventures with Dad to the lakeshore to collect a bucketful of “just the right shape” rocks (each of which had to be inspected by Dad prior to admittance to the bucket) to be lovingly assembled and decorated in the basement workshop to emerge as humorous masterpieces to be sold to eager, amused customers at craft shows. Many a vacation was paid for with Lake Ontario beach stones. Dick has left this world a better place. His kindness and humanity have been a positive influence on everyone he met. He passed on his love of life, theatre, football and art to his Family.
We will miss him dearly.
Thanks to the Hospice Wellington for the care and compassion they provided to Dick and his family in his last days. Relatives and friends are invited to the Mark Jutzi Funeral Home, 291 Huron Street, New Hamburg for Memorial Visitation on Saturday, January 11, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. till the time of the service. A Celebration of life will follow in the chapel at 12:00 p.m. Reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice Wellington and can be done through the funeral home. Personal condolences and tribute information available at www.markjutzifuneralhomes.ca