Michael Lee Dean

Friday, April 28, 2023

Michael Lee Dean of both Gosport and Lawrence (a suburb of Indianapolis), passed away peacefully Nov. 13, 2022 in Spencer. Mike was born March 14, 1944 in Bloomington to Minor C. Dean and Betty Jo (Shultz) Dean, both originally from Gosport.

Mike graduated from Lawrence Central High School in 1962. After attending Ball State University for a short time, he decided to join the U.S. Air Force. After serving four years, he returned to Lawrence and decided to pursue his college education, where he received a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1972 and a master’s degree in psychology in 1975.

While at Ball State, he met Laura Hansen from Michigan City, Ind., also a student at Ball State. They were married from 1970 to 1995. After a few years of practice, he switched gears and started his own construction company, Dean Construction, in 1981 and did both remodeling and new builds for the next 14 years in and around Indianapolis. From there, he worked for an Indianapolis corporate builder until he retired.

Mike enjoyed working with his hands, restoring old furniture and building several new pieces as well. He was also an avid genealogy researcher and worked tirelessly filling in the family blanks and continuing the work started by his Grandpa Oscar Shultz. Mike was president of the board of the Hudson Hill Cemetery and remapped all the graves – quite the task.

After his maternal grandparents passed away, Mike bought the Truax/Shultz Family Farm in 2007. The farm has been in the family since 1824 when his mother’s ancestor, William Truax, homesteaded the land. He lived at the farm for 15 years until his passing.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Minor C. Dean and Betty Jo (Shultz) Dean, and his brother-in-law, Norman Stinson.

He is survived by his two sisters, Cheryl Jo (Dean) Stinson and Sue Ellen (Dean) Good; as well as his former wife and lifelong friend, Laura Hansen Dean; two nephews, William A. Stinson and Kyle C. Good; one niece, Kathie S. Stinson; four great-nephews; two great-nieces; two great-great-nephews; one great-great-niece; aunt Yvonne Fidler; and 10 cousins.

A celebration of life will be held Sunday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m. in Spencer at the Historic Tivoli Theatre. If anyone has any stories they’d like to share about Mike, whether funny, serious or even mischievous, please feel free to do so.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Owen County Community Foundation in Michael L. Dean’s memory to be added to the William Truax Family Fund to assist with post-secondary education in the trades and technical areas. The contributions will go to: Owen County Foundation,

William Truax Family Fund, 60 E. Market Street, Spencer, IN 47460. Self-addressed envelopes will be provided.