Dean was born October 29, 1949 at Rolla, North Dakota to James and Florence (Bucholz) Klein. He was raised on the family farm thirteen miles north of Rock Lake, ND. He graduated from Rock Lake and attended Lake Region State College.
Dean started his 37 year railroad career in 1969, when Tony Fettig called and asked if one of the boys wanted to work for the railroad. He started out in Rock Lake with Great Northern Railroad, and ended up in Devils Lake, with BNSF. Dean married Nancy Wood on April 27, 1973. They lived a year in Rock Lake, then moved to Devils Lake.
Dean was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was an usher and greeter at St. Joseph’s Church for many years. He enjoyed motorcycles, hot rod cars and driving grain trucks and semis.
Those who shared his life were his wife, Nancy; daughter Jodi Swenson and her husband Mark, and their children Kain and Ella of St. Joseph, MN; son Bill of Devils Lake; brothers David and his wife Judy of Minot, Jeff of Mesa, AZ and sister Karen and her husband Andy Rosemark of Rochester, MN; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and their families.
Dean was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Florence Klein and in-laws Donald and Viola Wood.
There will be visitation at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. The Rosary will be led by the Knights of Columbus with a 4th Degree Honor Guard and Reverend Mr. Ken Severinson will officiate. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake with burial in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery.