Dean Erwin Stick

Dean Erwin Stick

Lonsdale, Minn.

Dean Erwin Stick, 94, of Alburnett and Marion, Iowa, passed in his sleep at Three Links Villages of Lonsdale, Minn., the afternoon of Aug. 5, 2023.

Dean was born in Alburnett on Oct. 3, 1928, to Winfield and Esther (Tritle) Stick. Dean was the youngest of four, with older siblings James, Dorothy, and Eugene. He attended Alburnett Community High School, graduating in 1946, and served in the U.S. Army

for two years during the Korean War, where he was stationed stateside, including at Fort Hood, Texas. Wanting to avoid taking life, Dean focused on maximizing every learning and training opportunity he was provided. His intelligence and common sense impressed his commanding officers, and he ultimately obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant, working as an instructor and mechanic for the Caterpillar Armored Division.

After returning home, he worked at Iowa Manufacturing as a lathe operator for a year, but it wasn’t a good fit for Dean. Using his mechanic training, he began working at a service station in Alburnett and later purchased a service station—Stick’s Standard, which he owned and managed for nearly 30 years.

In August 1958, Dean married Darlene Franson and settled in Alburnett where they farmed; they later moved to Marion. Dean and Darlene raised four children, Scott (Wanda Conway) of Alburnett, Randy (JoAnne Warren) of Northfield, Minn., Kelly (Andrea Rudish) of Belmont, N.C., and Sara (David Giacalone) of Denver, Colo.

Dean moved back to Alburnett in 1977 after he and Darlene divorced. He raised his youngest children at a time when single fathers were rare. He continued to manage Stick’s Standard until his retirement in 1979, when he moved his focus to farming with his son Scott, refinishing furniture, and playing golf. He helped maintain the Central City Golf Course grounds part-time. Besides golf, he loved woodworking and fishing and was known for his steady, cheerful disposition and dry humor. Anyone who asked Dean how he was doing received the same cheerful response, “Slow.”

In July 1997, Dean married Esther Edgerly. They moved to Marion in 2001, where they enjoyed dancing and were known for their large garden and family holiday dinners. In 2019, Dean and Esther moved into Prairie Hills Senior Living in Cedar Rapids and lived there until Esther’s death in March 2021. Dean then spent time visiting family in North Carolina, Alburnett, and Minnesota before he settled in Northfield, living with his son Randy and daughter-in-law JoAnne. Suffering from dementia and slowing down even more, Dean moved to the Villages of Lonsdale’s Memory Care Unit in 2022.

Dean is survived by his four children; seven grandchildren, David Stick, Codi Mineart, Kayla Stick, Jessica Madere, Michael Stick, Adam Giacalone and Alex Giacalone; one great-grandchild, Zona Madere; and one on the way, Baby Mineart. Dean is also mourned by good family friends Joan Nielson and Kenny Andrews.

In addition to his parents, Dean was preceded in death by his wife Esther, his first wife Darlene, his son-in-law David Giacalone, and his siblings James, Dorothy, and Eugene. Dean mourned many good friends who preceded him.

The family is planning a celebration of life for both Dean and Darlene on Saturday, Aug. 26, at his son Scott Stick’s farm at 2737 Old Center Road in Alburnett. The gathering will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Scott Stick.