The spirit of Dr. Gordon Morrill Dean of Forsyth left his body on Sunday, 12 January 2025. Gordon’s body died in the evening of complications resulting from Burkitt lymphoma and chemotherapy in the Intensive Care Unit on the second floor of the Billings Montana Intermountain Health St. Vincent’s Hospital surrounded by family members and friends. He lived 73 years, 6 months and 18 days on this earth.
Gordon was born in Miles City, Montana to Walter B. Dean III and Esther N. Dean. His siblings are: Marcyes Schmaus (Leo, deceased), Janice Bauer, deceased (Max), Walter B. Dean IV (Trudy Gilham), Rudy (Bonnie) Dean, and Peter (Alta) Dean. His son Owen was born during his marriage to Ramona (Powell) Dean. He cherished Pam Amos, Austin and Holly Vreugdenhil and their children as his broader adopted family in his retiring years.
Gordon pursued faith in Christ as a young man in Forsyth, MT. He traced the steps of the Apostle Paul in the country of Turkey after graduating from high school and then studied the Bible at Covenant College in Tennessee for a year in 1971, learning from the visiting theologian Francis Schaeffer. Later, he received his Bachelor of Science in Earth Science at MSU Bozeman and there participated with the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. Before college at MSU he worked as a brakeman on the Milwaukee Railroad and after graduation, as a geologist in the uranium and oil industries in Wyoming and North Dakota. He later received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree in Minnesota.
Dr. Dean practiced chiropractic medicine in Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana. He was active in community-theater as an actor, set designer and production manager, once quipping to a friend that “my most difficult acting role was playing a dead man.” His ingrained sense of humor endeared him to many and he offered a helpful, hope-filled attitude to anyone in need. He was a faithful lay reader in the Ascension Episcopal Church, served as a delegate on the Diocesan level and did the work of his faith diligently in many believing communities throughout his life.
He realized his love of the arts, literature, and history by co-founding a book club in Forsyth, serving as a reader for The Montana Book Awards, participating in archaeological digs in the country of Jordan and volunteering at the Rosebud County Museum. His oral historian skills and set design knowledge contributed to the award-winning film Blue Death in a segment that dramatized his father’s childhood experiences during the 1918 influenza epidemic. In the last year of his life, he was collaborating with a friend to publish a book of poetry.
He returned to Forsyth in 2000 to be close to his aging mother and to enjoy a semi-retired chiropractic practice. His passion for refinishing furniture and especially fixing his favorite type of antique chair—the spindle bow-back, renovating houses, garage-sale-bargaining and second-hand store treasure-hunting kept him actively working and constantly imaginative. His diverse collections broadly include Eastern Montana fossils, Levantine pottery, a Russian ushanka and a French duck press. He loved football, which he played in high school, photography, movies—from which he could recite lines verbatim and recall actors and scenes at will—and reading the Psalms aloud. A bright and inviting light has gone out in the lives of all who knew him.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at the Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Forsyth, MT.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in Gordon Dean’s Memory may be sent to: Gordon Dean Memorial, P.O. Box 222, Forsyth, MT 59327 or it may be made at the memorial service.
These donations will be directed to his memorial as well as future Gordon Dean legacy projects.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
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Terri Brown says
We lost a great historian of Forsyth when Gordon passed. We will miss him. He was a friend, a great chiropractor, a walking, talking history book, a keeper of fine things and had a plethora of knowledge. Rest in peace Dr. Dean. You will be sorely missed. Until we meet again…..
Charlie and Terri Brown
Rocky and Kay Berdahl says
To all of Gordon’s family and friends,
Saddened to read of his passing. Gordon always visited with us whenever we ran into each other. He will be missed.
Prayers and condolences.
Jim Clark says
So sad to here. So many good memories.
Debby and Charles DeCock says
Very sorry to have lost a friend and a neighbor.
Our prayers go out to all of Gordon’s family.
Chuck Dalby says
I was extremely fortunate to know Gordon most of my life—for 67 of my 73 years. I have fond memories of hours spent at the local fitness and recreation center—Dean’s Basketball court—and many adventures and misadventures with Gordon. Gordon was remarkably accomplished. However, he was incredibly modest so you might not know that. Gordon was geologist, chiropractor, free-thinker, actor, film producer, voracious reader, historian, writer, and poet—among other things—a true renaissance man Forsyth Style. My favorite memory is of sitting on the front porch of Gordon’s house during the fair, most times with Pam, Holly, and grandkids, and watching and visiting with the town of Forsyth as it passed by. Gordon was such a fine man, and I miss him dearly.
Vicky Fink says
I was so sad to learn of Gordon’s passing. Gordon was such an amazing man to visit with…so knowledgeable when it came to Forsyth’s history & the people of the community to say the least. His kindness to others or “just checking in” went unnoticed by many but dearly appreciated by those on the receiving end. Rest in peace Gordon.
Corey Welter says
I was honored to grow up with Gordon from the first grade until his passing. Many a good time was had during those years. Later on in life I worked with Gordon on a few drilling projects where he was the geologist. He was very skilled at his profession. Later in life he chose to make a career change becoming a doctor of chiropractic medicine. As was Gordon’s way he was very astute at his practice. I will miss him dearly. He was just one of the Good Guys. Rest in peace.
Shelly Schnitzmeier says
Gordon will be missed by so many people. He was always so enjoyable to visit with. What a kind, smart and wonderful human being! John and Shelly Schnitzmeier
Galen & Glenda Mack says
Own & family: Our condolences. Lots of good memories of Gordon!
Galen & Glenda Mack says
Owen & family: Our condolences. Lots of good memories of Gordon!
Billie Kay Vassau says
Gordon, or Gogo as we called him before we started school, was part of my childhood memories. He was a lot of fun during our high school years, quite a prankster at times. He was a fine guy and had such a vast knowledge of Forsyth history. I will miss running into him. Rest in Peace.
Andrew Schulenberg says
Rest in peace Gorden. I will miss My go to Man, for checking all the facts of Forsyth’s past. I have lots of good memories of Gordon , and the Dean Family while We were growing up. Hugs and Prayers to the Family.
Joby Parker says
Gordon Dean will be greatly missed! What an intelligent, insightful and interesting person he was. He cared deeply for all his patients and always treated you as a friend. I know he loved the Forsyth community and was proud to have grown up here. He knew almost anything and everything about our little city.
RIP Gordon, it was a privilege to have known you!
Sharon Wetsch says
I was so sorry to hear of Gordon’s passing. He was such a great source of history for Forsyth!
He was a wonderful man and will be sorely missed. RIP Dr. Dean…
Dick Erickson says
Good bye dear friend.
Your passing leaves a void in my life I will try to fill with the good memories of our 65 yr friendship. We, like all small town kids, had the freedom to roam at will, filing our time w adventures and misadventures…..and lots of good stories to tell.
I’ll forever cherish our last time together in August….sitting in rockers on your front porch at dusk. As I sipped whiskey and you smoked a cigar, we had a lovely time just talking into the night. It was perfect….two old friends together again.
Pamela Ash says
It was a privilege to know Gordon and he was my go to source for local history facts. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends.
Karson Kluver says
It was a privilege to know Gordon Dean. Both on a professional level, as well as a personal one, will miss him.
Joanni Melcher says
Gordon and I were best friends in our early years. We did about everything together. I remember when my sister, Terry, was going to be gone and there was an empty bed in the room. I wanted to have Gordie for a sleep over. I remember watching my mother and Esther talk about it and couldn’t figure out what the big deal was. I was a little indignant about the whole thing. Then they agreed and Gordie got to stay. I remember we jumped on the beds a lot. We were probably about 5 years old. When Gordon came to my mother’s funeral we remembered those years and he said something I’ll always remember: “We learned about friendship together at a very early age.” Bless you GoGo. We were all lucky to have you.
Steve and Renae Dockter says
Owen and family,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Gordon will be dearly missed but we know He’s with his Heavenly Father and we will see him again.
Peter Dean says
Death always comes at an inconvenient time. Just 2 months ago Gogo told me that he planned to tear off the old porch on the back of his house and replace it in the spring. Fixing up old houses and making them a nice place to live was one commonality we both enjoyed. Along with discussing books, movies, and any amount of things going on in the world past, present, and future. One nice enjoyment that we both had was discovering and discussing about the large historical collection of photographs that our grandfather took in the early 1900s. Forsyth history was fun for both of us. the thoughtful discussions will be missed.
Everybody knew of the tree house that we had in the back yard and of course the fire that burned it up. Gordon had just bought a new camera and took some great photos of before the fire, after the fire and the rebuild. i was always appreciative of that. We were bothers, but if one saw us side by side they would not have known it. We had our differences but had enough in common to enjoy each other as brothers. Mom always had a quote from some where in the past that said “We are part of everyone that we meet”. Gogo was part of my life. I will miss him.
Mark Hanssen says
Driving to Bloomington from Nebraska to attend Chiropractic college, I had tears in my eyes. Actually, I was balling like a baby. Fear of the unknown and leaving all my friends behind. If I knew during that drive I had a friend named Gordon waiting to meet me, I would have had the biggest grin. It has now been exactly 40 years since we met and became friends. We talked frequently but, the distance and jobs made visiting an obstacle. My plans to visit him in MT this summer are now on hold. I look forward to that reunion where so many other friends and family wait. I guess that’s why they call it Heaven. Until that day, we will keep his memory fresh and relive the stories that made Gordon unique.
And Owen, you were, are the apple of his eye.
Tom Gillin says
Although Gordon and I graduated high school the same year (he from Forsyth, and I from Colstrip), we didn’t meet until many years later when I was living in Colorado Springs. He had been there to visit Owen while he was at the Air Force Academy. He boarded the airline flight that I was on and sat next to me. During our friendly conversation, we discovered that we were both from Rosebud County and knew several people in common. From that time on, I considered him a good friend. He met me a couple times in Minneapolis while he was living there, and after he moved to Forsyth, I enjoyed visiting him there when I was in town. We had great conversations about history, local people and events, philosophy, theology, and our common faith. He was a brilliant and wonderful man, and I will miss his friendship. But I’m convinced that he is rejoicing with his Savior now.
William T. “Tom” Gillin
Bozeman/Forsyth
DeDe Hause says
Sorry to hear of your loss.
Court Sand says
Gordon and I met when my family moved to Forsyth in the summer of 1965. As the “funny new kid in town”, he made me feel welcome in his group of friends and I enjoyed his sincere friendship from then on. We worked together as class officers one year in high school. He often proposed a different (and better) way to tackle the project or task that had been given to our class at the time. A fond memory is playing the pin ball machines in the lobby of the Howdy Hotel with Gordon and Chuck. I believe that we were only told to leave once. Gordon, old friend, may you always have clear skies and a tail wind as you fly west.
Steve White says
Gordon was a dear dear friend. With Gordon, everyone was his best friend. I met Gordon back in 1970 when I took my first Geology class at MSU/Bozeman. From that time, I knew that he was a special character, and someone who I was honored to remain his friend for the next 50+ years. And because of his great personality I ended up with many new friends (MMTKG, etc) that I would have never met without knowing Gordon. We both graduated from MSU together in Geology and keep in close contact for all of these years. In 1970 Gordon’s strong believe in the Lord planted a ‘seed’ that developed into my lifelong faith in Jesus. Gordon and I spent many hours on the phone discussing EVERYTHING, and then laughing about so many of the experiences we shared all these years. I, along with so many, will miss this special person that we all shared so many great times with.