Thornberry, Dean

Dean Thornberry died peacefully in the company of family and friends on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, at Mercy Hospice Care. The family will greet friends today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Service in Iowa City. A celebration of Dean's life will begin Saturday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home. Private burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Dean was born Oct. 9, 1941, in Iowa City, Iowa. The son of Raymond and Louise (Johnson) Thornberry, he grew up in Iowa City and graduated from City High. He served in the U.S. Army from 1960-1963, stationed for a time in Amberg, Germany. He sent letters home to high school classmate Charlene Thrasher, whom he married immediately upon his return.

After getting his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of South Dakota, Dean took them both to Asia, where he worked briefly in Japan and Korea for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (PX).

After returning to the States, Dean tried several jobs and regions of the country before finding his footing in business - back home in Iowa. He worked in automotive sales in Florida, guided tours at Coors Brewery in Colorado, and eventually worked his way through the ranks at Burger King, first as an hourly employee, then shift supervisor, then manager and finally a corporate franchisee trainer. He then decided to put his business skills to use and become a franchise owner himself. He opened his first Burger King in Oklahoma in 1978, with a second to follow shortly thereafter.

In 1983, Dean returned to Iowa City, where he continued as a businessman, opening and operating two Burger King restaurants and Maxie's, a ‘50s and ‘60s bar.

Dean found other passions along the way: He was a very proud husband, brother, father, and grandfather. He enjoyed playing bridge and was an accomplished golfer. He became a private pilot and earned his instrument rating. He loved planes and what they could do. He volunteered with Angel Flight, flying patients with critical needs to and from Iowa City for medical treatment.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Iowa City's mayor in 1960, Dean was elected to the city council in 1995, serving until 1999 and acting as mayor pro-tem. He combined his love of Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs with that of the City when he donated funds to establish the Thornberry Off-Leash Dog Park.

Dean, once again, needed to carve a hard path when Charlene lost her battle with cancer in 2000, closing 37 years of marriage. After several tough years, Dean met Donna Peitz, a companion with whom he has shared both travels and travails. Their time together was short, but contented.

Dean is survived by his sister, Sharon (Tom) Eversman of Bozeman, Mont.; niece, Jennifer (Mark) Wollschlager of Alexandria, Va.; nephew, Jay Eversman (Leah Zueger) of Morristown, N.J.; his son, Troy, daughter-in-law, Kristin Kusmierek, and granddaughter, Isabel, of Louisville, Colo.; his companion, Donna Peitz, and her daughters, Sarah (Jonathon) Foss of Des Moines and Katherine Lewis of Iowa City; and, of course, Boulder and Porsche, the dogs.

Memorials can be made to the Johnson County Dog Park Action Committee to benefit the Thornberry Off-Leash Dog Park () or to Mercy Hospice Care ().

Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at  under obituaries.