Redmon, L. Dean

UPDATED

L. Dean Redmon, 77, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died peacefully Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas.

Dean was born on Sept. 5, 1933, in Ottumwa, Iowa, son of Merle and Hazel (Benson) Redmon. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict, running a machine shop in South Korea.

He considered himself a tool and die maker and others saw him as a teacher. He started his tool and die career with New Era Industries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He began his career as a teacher, teaching machine shop and tool and die making at new Area Ten Community College, later to become Kirkwood Community College. He returned to private industry as training manager at Cherry Burrell, which manufactured dairy equipment. The company often sent Dean to install the first machines in a new foreign market. He returned to Korea, where he was honored by the Korean government for his many contributions to their dairy industry. He retired from Evergreen, a successor to Cherry Burrell.

Dean was a 50 year plus member of Mizpah Masonic Lodge No. 639 A.F. & A.M., was a 32nd degree mason in the Cedar Rapids Consistory, and belonged to the Color Guard Unit in the El Kahir Shrine. He served as the Worshipful Master of Mizpah Lodge in 1965 and Potentate of El Kahir Shrine Temple in 1993. He proudly celebrated his 50th year in Shrine in 2011.

One close friend said of Dean, you didn't have to know Dean Redmon long before you knew about his children and grandchildren. He loved his two children who he affectionately referred to as “my boy” and “my girl.”

Dean will be fondly remembered by his many, many friends, and his wife, Shirley (Young); son, Jeff (Cindy) of Roberts, Wis.; daughter, Connie (Rick) Buckroyd of Indianola, Iowa; grandchildren, Benjamin Blackmon, Bobby (Sheena) Buckroyd, Anne (Kyle) Johnson, Thomas (Hattie) Redmon and Katherine Redmon, along with Shirley's son, Marty Schwab, and grandson, Jason (Jennifer) Schwab.

Dean had five great-grandchildren and Adalyn Schwab was born on Feb. 12, 2011.

Dean is also survived by his sisters, Janice (Ken) Hook and Karen McMillen; his cousin, Harold (Mardyll) Benson, along with many nieces and nephews.

Masonic memorial services will be held at noon Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011, at Murdoch Funeral Home in Marion, Iowa, with a reception to follow at El Kahir Shrine Temple. Visitation will be held one hour before the services.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to be made to the El Kahir Shrine Transportation Fund.