L. Dean Redmon
September 5, 1933 — February 11, 2011
L. Dean Redmon, 77, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa died peacefully Friday, February 11, 2011 at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas.
Dean was born on September 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. In the mid-1960’s 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. He developed the training manuals for their milk carton filling machines. With his diverse background, the company often sent Dean to install the first machines in a new foreign market. He could install the machine, train the dairy personnel to maintain, repair and operate the equipment and use a local machine shop to fabricate needed parts that couldn’t wait for the long import processes. He returned to Korea, years after his Army service in Korea, where he was honored by the Korean government for his many contributions to their dairy industry. Many in the Asian markets referred to Dean with their highest honor simply, “Teacher.” He enjoyed his many foreign assignments, particularly meeting people from all over the world. He retired from Evergreen, a successor to Cherry Burrell.
Dean was a 50 year plus member of Mizpah Masonic Lodge #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, whom he affectionately referred to as “my boy” and “my girl.”
Dean will be fondly remembered by his many, many friends and his wife Shirley, son Jeff (Cindy) of Roberts, Wisconsin and 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 5 great grandchildren and Adalyn Schwab was born on February 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 funeral and memorial services are to be held at Noon, Saturday, February 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. Memorials are requested to be made to the El Kahir Shrine Transportation Fund.
Dean was born on September 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. In the mid-1960’s 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. He developed the training manuals for their milk carton filling machines. With his diverse background, the company often sent Dean to install the first machines in a new foreign market. He could install the machine, train the dairy personnel to maintain, repair and operate the equipment and use a local machine shop to fabricate needed parts that couldn’t wait for the long import processes. He returned to Korea, years after his Army service in Korea, where he was honored by the Korean government for his many contributions to their dairy industry. Many in the Asian markets referred to Dean with their highest honor simply, “Teacher.” He enjoyed his many foreign assignments, particularly meeting people from all over the world. He retired from Evergreen, a successor to Cherry Burrell.
Dean was a 50 year plus member of Mizpah Masonic Lodge #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, whom he affectionately referred to as “my boy” and “my girl.”
Dean will be fondly remembered by his many, many friends and his wife Shirley, son Jeff (Cindy) of Roberts, Wisconsin and 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 5 great grandchildren and Adalyn Schwab was born on February 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 funeral and memorial services are to be held at Noon, Saturday, February 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. Memorials are requested to be made to the El Kahir Shrine Transportation Fund.
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