Robert (Bob) Emmett Dean
April 25, 1929 – April 16, 2016
Bob Dean passed away in his home in North Tustin on April 16, 2016. His wife of 62 years, Jan, was by his side at his passing. A Visitation will be held from 6 pm to 8 pm (with Rosary at 7 pm) on April 21, 2016 at Saddleback Chapel Mortuary in Tustin, CA. And a Funeral Mass will be held at 11 am on April 22, 2016 at La Purisima Catholic Church in Orange, CA.

Bob was born in Chicago, Illinois to Elizabeth (nee Corcoran) Dean and John Thomas Dean. He was raised in an Irish-American community on the South Side of Chicago and was educated at various Catholic schools, graduating from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1951.

Throughout his entire life, Bob loved athletics and particularly basketball. He was captain and MVP of the Xavier University basketball team and then played for the Caterpillar Diesels. The Diesels won the Amateur Athletic Union championship and the Olympic basketball team playoffs, and Bob was selected to be an alternate for the Olympic basketball team representing the U.S. in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. This began Bob’s 40-year career with Caterpillar, Inc., headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

After moving to Peoria, Bob was introduced to Janice (Jan) Seei, and on June 27, 1953, they were married. Together, Bob and Jan raised seven children and moved around quite a bit as they followed Bob’s career, beginning in Peoria, then to Palo Alto, to Sacramento/Carmichael, back to Peoria, and finally to Orange County, California. Bob and Jan have called North Tustin home for the past 40+ years. And while Bob had many interests, nothing was more important to him than his family and the Catholic faith that he practiced faithfully his whole life.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Jack, and his sister Betty. He is survived by his wife Jan; his children: Bob Jr. (Monica), Jim (Ellen), Jack (Tammy), Kevin, Cathy (Scott), Sue (Greg), and Anne (Greg); grandchildren: Tim, Patrick, Eric, Sara, Brendan, Meghan, Kayla, Jacob, Sean, Bob, Jim, Erin, Thomas, Scott, Lauren, Kelly, Jack, and Julian; and great grandchildren: James, Parker, Reese, and Billy.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County. www.alz.org/oc (800) 272-3900.