Dean Lee Monroe

Monday, January 16, 2017 6:04 pm

Dean Lee Monroe, 70, of Castalia, died Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, at his home in Castalia. Funeral services were at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia, with full military rites following the services at the church. Reverend Alan Wicks was the officiant. Visitation was from 4 until 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia. There will be a private family burial at a later date. The family requests that in lieu of flowers or gifts, memorials be given to Zion Lutheran Church, Castalia. Schutte-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Postville, is helping the family with arrangements.

Dean was born Dec. 27, 1946, in Decorah, to Merle and Juanita (Preuss) Monroe. He was baptized Jan. 19, 1947, confirmed March 26, 1961, and united in marriage to Becky Kramme Oct. 18, 1969, all of which took place at the Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia. Dean graduated from South Winneshiek High School in 1965. He then began working at the Carnation Plant in Waverly. After working there nearly a year, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1966. He served his country honorably until his discharge in 1968, at which time returned to the family farm to work in a partnership with his parents and his brother, Roger. In 1988, Dean began working for the US Postal Service as a rural letter carrier until his retirement in 2013. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and the Ossian American Legion. In his younger years, Dean enjoyed playing slow pitch softball, bowling and golfing. In more recent years, his family became involved in the Mississippi Blackhawks Water Ski Team and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends on the Mississippi River. After Dean’s retirement, along with the help of his boys, he completed a farm workshop. Because of the many hours Dean and his buddy Dale spent repairing everything from tractors to toys, and just sitting there “solving the world’s problems, the shop has often been called “D&D Repair” by boys and their friends. But the most important hours of Dean’s life have been those that he shared with his 13 grandchildren. He enjoyed nothing more than sitting in his lawn chair, soaking up the views of the farm fields as he watched his grandchildren embrace the space he called “home” for most all of his 70 years.

Dean is survived by his wife, Becky, of 47 years; four children: Wendy Monroe of Nederland, Colo., Darin (Sarah) Monroe of Decorah, Joel (Tara) Monroe of Waukon and Mark Monroe of Castalia; 13 grandchildren: Sydney Radloff, Seraph Kelly, Wylde Kelly, Avery Kelly, Creed Monroe, Gabe Monroe, Burke Monroe, Dempsey Monroe, Ashton Monroe, Lily Monroe, Ethan Monroe, Evan Monroe and Elliot Monroe; four siblings: Gail Anfinson of Hawkeye, Roger (Mary) Monroe of Castalia, Marla (Mike) Miene of Postville and Brenda Waterman ( Kevin Wiltgen) of Castalia; one sister-in-law, Karen (Jim) Aschenbrenner of Cedar Falls; five brothers-in-law: Tim (Linda) Kramme of Stout, Ken Kramme of Calmar, Steve (Ana) Kramme of Adel, Mark Kramme of Calmar and Roger (Amy) Kramme of Spillville; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Merle and Juanita (Preuss) Monroe; one sister, Julie Monroe; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Paul and Myrtle (Lumby) Kramme; and one brother-in-law, Dennis Anfinson.