William David Dean, 93, of Concord passed away peacefully at Pleasant View Center on November 24, 2018.
Born in Concord on March 10, 1925, he was the son of William J and Gertrude H (Anderson) Dean. He lived in the Concord and Bow areas all his life.
Dave, as he liked to be called, was devoted to his family and loved playing baseball. He graduated from Concord High School in 1943; Concord Commercial College in 1947, and The Bentley School of Accounting and Finance in 1949. He enjoyed the benefits of White Park in his youth - his "second home," playing baseball all day in the summertime and watching Sunset League games in the evening. In the winter, it was skating and watching the annual Winter Carnival in the late thirties at the park. He loved ice skating and one winter day he skated the full length of Long Pond and back. He used to watch the men cutting the ice for storage to be delivered in the spring and summer days. There was also summer swimming at Russell's Pond and the annual winter carnival there featuring ski jumping.
Dave served in Italy with the 10th Mountain Division in World War II, earning the rank of sergeant and was the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He was proud to have served in the United States Army and be discharged before his twenty-first birthday.
Dave was a pitcher and a self-taught "switch hitter" in the Sunset League for 11 years, hitting several home runs from both sides of the plate. He was also a coach, treasurer and director of the Concord Sunset League. He coached Minor League, Little League and Babe Ruth League teams for several years for his sons. He was a member of the United Baptist Church, NH Society of Public Accountants, and a seventy year member of the Blazing Star Lodge #11. As a self-employed public accountant for many years, he enjoyed his clients and doing tax returns into his 80s. He admired the beauty of the earth, liked classical music, horse racing, and cowboy songs of his era, especially yodeling, and was an avid collector of baseball and non-sport cards. He considered himself very fortunate that he was able to enjoy his children for some sixty plus years. During his lifetime, he endeavored to live by "being prepared" and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
He leaves his wife of 40 years, Laura Dean of Concord, a son, Brian Dean of Melbourne, FL, two daughters, Barbara Larose of Greenfield, MA and Deborah Dean (Paul Ulrich) of San Anselmo, CA, two step-children, Brian Gray (Erika) of Oakland, CA, Marcia Hewey (Christopher) of Concord, NH. He leaves five grandchildren. Dana (Jessica Dimond) Larose, Eric (Diane) Larose, Alyssa (Daniel Mickus) Larose, Fiona and Julien Ulrich, step-grandchildren, Kiera and Orion Gray, and Nathan and Nicholas Hewey. He also leaves four great-grandchildren, Beatrice and Gertrude Mickus, Gabriella and Amelia Larose. He was predeceased by a brother, Donald and a son David Morgan Dean. Dave (aka Dad and Grampy) will be dearly missed by his family and all who knew him.
Visiting hours will be held Sat Dec. 1 from 11 to 1 PM at the Waters Funeral Home, 50 South Main St. Concord. Funeral services will follow in the chapel of the Waters Funeral Home at 1 PM. Burial with military honors will follow at the Blossom Hill Cemetery Concord.