Dean P. Hartley, 87, of Oswego, passed away at Fox Knoll Villages on December 25, 2023. Born in Greenfield, IA to Abner and Irma (nee Lawrence). He spent the past 52 years in Oswego.
Dean has always talked about his mother's love for him and how she willingly wrote notes to get him out of attending school whenever he wanted. Dean left high school after three years to enlist in the US Navy. He was trained in field medical service and became a Dental Prosthetic Technician. Surprisingly, he spent his enlistment at Twenty-Nine Palms, CA in the Mojave Desert and was never on a ship. He received a Good Conduct Medal and was a champion wrestler in the military. His honorable discharge in 1958 was after declining the support of the Navy to send him to the Naval Academy with the requirement to remain single. The love of his life was awaiting his return to Iowa and Mary Jo and Dean were married the following June 13, 1959.
Dean enrolled in college, on the GI Bill, upon his discharge and completed his bachelor's degree, majoring in science, in 1962. A life-long learner, Dean continued his education after college including graduate credits in chemistry and biology while teaching high school sciences. He took many company training classes over the years, as well as 60 college credits in various subjects, including time management, quality control, machining, materials handling, and physics. He designed, purchased, supervised installation, and trained operators of the first robotic machine at Caterpillar, Aurora. In addition, he was a licensed real estate broker for almost 50 years when his final license expired in 2021.
He began his career teaching high school sciences upon graduation from college. By the time daughter number 4 arrived in 1966, he decided he needed a change in his career direction to support his growing family. He began working as an industrial engineer, first at John Deere. He continued to move to three different companies for increasingly better jobs. As the father of six girls, he settled into a career at Caterpillar, Aurora in 1973 at which he remained until his retirement in 2002.
Mechanically inclined, Dean maintained the family cars himself for decades doing oil changes, tire rotations, brakes-whatever was needed. He even did body repair work, engine overhauls, and an engine replacement. His aptitude also allowed him to do home electrical wiring, plumbing, interior and exterior, installation of central air conditioning and building a 24'x24' secondary garage (with the help of his daughters). He used his dental skills he learned in the military to make dentures for Mary Jo and a false front tooth for one of his daughters. At 80 years of age, he remodeled a bathroom replacing a tub with a shower stall to help Mary Jo have ease of use with her arthritis and hip replacement. Dean took great pride in the multitude of tools he owned to complete his many projects over the years. He took pride in learning and mastering new skills and encouraged others to do so.
Dean was a loving, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather who was warm, genuine, and gave compliments easily. During his illness he especially liked holding the great grandchildren. He was kind, polite, curious, inquisitive, and had a great sense of humor.
He enjoyed socializing in passing with most anyone and appreciated conversations with those he met while running errands (especially at Sam's Club and Farm and Fleet).
Over the years, Dean was involved with St Anne Catholic Church in Oswego and on the parish counsel at one point. He was heavily involved in investment clubs over the decades. He and Mary Jo also spent several years doing Marriage Preparation with couples planning to wed in the church. He famously told all the men entering the family "three things to know before marriage: 'yes dear', 'you're right', and 'I'm sorry!'".
He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Jo (Kemp); daughters Anne (Steven) Joseph, Jane (James) Harrison, Susan (Gary) Hartley Brown; Mary (Timothy) Connolly, Lucy (Craig) Armstrong, and Jennifer (Gaetano) Capici; son Joseph (Edith) Hartley; grandchildren Adriana Ballines, Benjamin Joseph, Kristin Joseph (Jorge Ramirez), Richard (Melissa) Ewbank, David Brown, William Brown, Michael (Sarah Rae Erwin) Connolly, Robert Connolly (Stephanie Scorzo), Sarah Jo Connolly, Caty (Chris) Ford, Alyssa (Mark) Cromer, Elizabeth Armstong (Adam McElyea) ,Gabrielle (Ethan) Grabowski, Daniel Capici (Ana Cardenas), Adriana Capici (Cristian Ramiriez), and Isabel Capici (Stacy Lord); great grandchildren Emmalee Brown, Mason and Chase Ewbank, Leonardo Joseph, Isaiah Ramirez, Nora Ford, Lewis and Paul Cromer, and Kai Ramirez; several step grandchildren/great grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Richard, Donald, and Robert.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM at St. Anne Catholic Church, 551 Boulder Hill Pass, Oswego, IL. Burial with full military honors will follow at Risen Lord Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to St. Anne Catholic Church, P.O. Box 670, Oswego, IL 60543 or Alzheimer's Association, Illinois Chapter, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Dean has always talked about his mother's love for him and how she willingly wrote notes to get him out of attending school whenever he wanted. Dean left high school after three years to enlist in the US Navy. He was trained in field medical service and became a Dental Prosthetic Technician. Surprisingly, he spent his enlistment at Twenty-Nine Palms, CA in the Mojave Desert and was never on a ship. He received a Good Conduct Medal and was a champion wrestler in the military. His honorable discharge in 1958 was after declining the support of the Navy to send him to the Naval Academy with the requirement to remain single. The love of his life was awaiting his return to Iowa and Mary Jo and Dean were married the following June 13, 1959.
Dean enrolled in college, on the GI Bill, upon his discharge and completed his bachelor's degree, majoring in science, in 1962. A life-long learner, Dean continued his education after college including graduate credits in chemistry and biology while teaching high school sciences. He took many company training classes over the years, as well as 60 college credits in various subjects, including time management, quality control, machining, materials handling, and physics. He designed, purchased, supervised installation, and trained operators of the first robotic machine at Caterpillar, Aurora. In addition, he was a licensed real estate broker for almost 50 years when his final license expired in 2021.
He began his career teaching high school sciences upon graduation from college. By the time daughter number 4 arrived in 1966, he decided he needed a change in his career direction to support his growing family. He began working as an industrial engineer, first at John Deere. He continued to move to three different companies for increasingly better jobs. As the father of six girls, he settled into a career at Caterpillar, Aurora in 1973 at which he remained until his retirement in 2002.
Mechanically inclined, Dean maintained the family cars himself for decades doing oil changes, tire rotations, brakes-whatever was needed. He even did body repair work, engine overhauls, and an engine replacement. His aptitude also allowed him to do home electrical wiring, plumbing, interior and exterior, installation of central air conditioning and building a 24'x24' secondary garage (with the help of his daughters). He used his dental skills he learned in the military to make dentures for Mary Jo and a false front tooth for one of his daughters. At 80 years of age, he remodeled a bathroom replacing a tub with a shower stall to help Mary Jo have ease of use with her arthritis and hip replacement. Dean took great pride in the multitude of tools he owned to complete his many projects over the years. He took pride in learning and mastering new skills and encouraged others to do so.
Dean was a loving, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather who was warm, genuine, and gave compliments easily. During his illness he especially liked holding the great grandchildren. He was kind, polite, curious, inquisitive, and had a great sense of humor.
He enjoyed socializing in passing with most anyone and appreciated conversations with those he met while running errands (especially at Sam's Club and Farm and Fleet).
Over the years, Dean was involved with St Anne Catholic Church in Oswego and on the parish counsel at one point. He was heavily involved in investment clubs over the decades. He and Mary Jo also spent several years doing Marriage Preparation with couples planning to wed in the church. He famously told all the men entering the family "three things to know before marriage: 'yes dear', 'you're right', and 'I'm sorry!'".
He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Jo (Kemp); daughters Anne (Steven) Joseph, Jane (James) Harrison, Susan (Gary) Hartley Brown; Mary (Timothy) Connolly, Lucy (Craig) Armstrong, and Jennifer (Gaetano) Capici; son Joseph (Edith) Hartley; grandchildren Adriana Ballines, Benjamin Joseph, Kristin Joseph (Jorge Ramirez), Richard (Melissa) Ewbank, David Brown, William Brown, Michael (Sarah Rae Erwin) Connolly, Robert Connolly (Stephanie Scorzo), Sarah Jo Connolly, Caty (Chris) Ford, Alyssa (Mark) Cromer, Elizabeth Armstong (Adam McElyea) ,Gabrielle (Ethan) Grabowski, Daniel Capici (Ana Cardenas), Adriana Capici (Cristian Ramiriez), and Isabel Capici (Stacy Lord); great grandchildren Emmalee Brown, Mason and Chase Ewbank, Leonardo Joseph, Isaiah Ramirez, Nora Ford, Lewis and Paul Cromer, and Kai Ramirez; several step grandchildren/great grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Richard, Donald, and Robert.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM at St. Anne Catholic Church, 551 Boulder Hill Pass, Oswego, IL. Burial with full military honors will follow at Risen Lord Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to St. Anne Catholic Church, P.O. Box 670, Oswego, IL 60543 or Alzheimer's Association, Illinois Chapter, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Dean P. Hartley, 87, of Oswego, passed away at Fox Knoll Villages on December 25, 2023. Born in Greenfield, IA to Abner and Irma (nee Lawrence). He spent the past 52 years in Oswego.
Dean has always talked about his mother's love for him and how she willingly wrote notes to get him out of attending school whenever he wanted. Dean left high school after three years to enlist in the US Navy. He was trained in field medical service and became a Dental Prosthetic Technician. Surprisingly, he spent his enlistment at Twenty-Nine Palms, CA in the Mojave Desert and was never on a ship. He received a Good Conduct Medal and was a champion wrestler in the military. His honorable discharge in 1958 was after declining the support of the Navy to send him to the Naval Academy with the requirement to remain single. The love of his life was awaiting his return to Iowa and Mary Jo and Dean were married the following June 13, 1959.
Dean enrolled in college, on the GI Bill, upon his discharge and completed his bachelor's degree, majoring in science, in 1962. A life-long learner, Dean continued his education after college including graduate credits in chemistry and biology while teaching high school sciences. He took many company training classes over the years, as well as 60 college credits in various subjects, including time management, quality control, machining, materials handling, and physics. He designed, purchased, supervised installation, and trained operators of the first robotic machine at Caterpillar, Aurora. In addition, he was a licensed real estate broker for almost 50 years when his final license expired in 2021.
He began his career teaching high school sciences upon graduation from college. By the time daughter number 4 arrived in 1966, he decided he needed a change in his career direction to support his growing family. He began working as an industrial engineer, first at John Deere. He continued to move to three different companies for increasingly better jobs. As the father of six girls, he settled into a career at Caterpillar, Aurora in 1973 at which he remained until his retirement in 2002.
Mechanically inclined, Dean maintained the family cars himself for decades doing oil changes, tire rotations, brakes-whatever was needed. He even did body repair work, engine overhauls, and an engine replacement. His aptitude also allowed him to do home electrical wiring, plumbing, interior and exterior, installation of central air conditioning and building a 24'x24' secondary garage (with the help of his daughters). He used his dental skills he learned in the military to make dentures for Mary Jo and a false front tooth for one of his daughters. At 80 years of age, he remodeled a bathroom replacing a tub with a shower stall to help Mary Jo have ease of use with her arthritis and hip replacement. Dean took great pride in the multitude of tools he owned to complete his many projects over the years. He took pride in learning and mastering new skills and encouraged others to do so.
Dean was a loving, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather who was warm, genuine, and gave compliments easily. During his illness he especially liked holding the great grandchildren. He was kind, polite, curious, inquisitive, and had a great sense of humor.
He enjoyed socializing in passing with most anyone and appreciated conversations with those he met while running errands (especially at Sam's Club and Farm and Fleet).
Over the years, Dean was involved with St Anne Catholic Church in Oswego and on the parish counsel at one point. He was heavily involved in investment clubs over the decades. He and Mary Jo also spent several years doing Marriage Preparation with couples planning to wed in the church. He famously told all the men entering the family "three things to know before marriage: 'yes dear', 'you're right', and 'I'm sorry!'".
He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Jo (Kemp); daughters Anne (Steven) Joseph, Jane (James) Harrison, Susan (Gary) Hartley Brown; Mary (Timothy) Connolly, Lucy (Craig) Armstrong, and Jennifer (Gaetano) Capici; son Joseph (Edith) Hartley; grandchildren Adriana Ballines, Benjamin Joseph, Kristin Joseph (Jorge Ramirez), Richard (Melissa) Ewbank, David Brown, William Brown, Michael (Sarah Rae Erwin) Connolly, Robert Connolly (Stephanie Scorzo), Sarah Jo Connolly, Caty (Chris) Ford, Alyssa (Mark) Cromer, Elizabeth Armstong (Adam McElyea) ,Gabrielle (Ethan) Grabowski, Daniel Capici (Ana Cardenas), Adriana Capici (Cristian Ramiriez), and Isabel Capici (Stacy Lord); great grandchildren Emmalee Brown, Mason and Chase Ewbank, Leonardo Joseph, Isaiah Ramirez, Nora Ford, Lewis and Paul Cromer, and Kai Ramirez; several step grandchildren/great grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Richard, Donald, and Robert.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM at St. Anne Catholic Church, 551 Boulder Hill Pass, Oswego, IL. Burial with full military honors will follow at Risen Lord Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to St. Anne Catholic Church, P.O. Box 670, Oswego, IL 60543 or Alzheimer's Association, Illinois Chapter, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Dean has always talked about his mother's love for him and how she willingly wrote notes to get him out of attending school whenever he wanted. Dean left high school after three years to enlist in the US Navy. He was trained in field medical service and became a Dental Prosthetic Technician. Surprisingly, he spent his enlistment at Twenty-Nine Palms, CA in the Mojave Desert and was never on a ship. He received a Good Conduct Medal and was a champion wrestler in the military. His honorable discharge in 1958 was after declining the support of the Navy to send him to the Naval Academy with the requirement to remain single. The love of his life was awaiting his return to Iowa and Mary Jo and Dean were married the following June 13, 1959.
Dean enrolled in college, on the GI Bill, upon his discharge and completed his bachelor's degree, majoring in science, in 1962. A life-long learner, Dean continued his education after college including graduate credits in chemistry and biology while teaching high school sciences. He took many company training classes over the years, as well as 60 college credits in various subjects, including time management, quality control, machining, materials handling, and physics. He designed, purchased, supervised installation, and trained operators of the first robotic machine at Caterpillar, Aurora. In addition, he was a licensed real estate broker for almost 50 years when his final license expired in 2021.
He began his career teaching high school sciences upon graduation from college. By the time daughter number 4 arrived in 1966, he decided he needed a change in his career direction to support his growing family. He began working as an industrial engineer, first at John Deere. He continued to move to three different companies for increasingly better jobs. As the father of six girls, he settled into a career at Caterpillar, Aurora in 1973 at which he remained until his retirement in 2002.
Mechanically inclined, Dean maintained the family cars himself for decades doing oil changes, tire rotations, brakes-whatever was needed. He even did body repair work, engine overhauls, and an engine replacement. His aptitude also allowed him to do home electrical wiring, plumbing, interior and exterior, installation of central air conditioning and building a 24'x24' secondary garage (with the help of his daughters). He used his dental skills he learned in the military to make dentures for Mary Jo and a false front tooth for one of his daughters. At 80 years of age, he remodeled a bathroom replacing a tub with a shower stall to help Mary Jo have ease of use with her arthritis and hip replacement. Dean took great pride in the multitude of tools he owned to complete his many projects over the years. He took pride in learning and mastering new skills and encouraged others to do so.
Dean was a loving, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather who was warm, genuine, and gave compliments easily. During his illness he especially liked holding the great grandchildren. He was kind, polite, curious, inquisitive, and had a great sense of humor.
He enjoyed socializing in passing with most anyone and appreciated conversations with those he met while running errands (especially at Sam's Club and Farm and Fleet).
Over the years, Dean was involved with St Anne Catholic Church in Oswego and on the parish counsel at one point. He was heavily involved in investment clubs over the decades. He and Mary Jo also spent several years doing Marriage Preparation with couples planning to wed in the church. He famously told all the men entering the family "three things to know before marriage: 'yes dear', 'you're right', and 'I'm sorry!'".
He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Jo (Kemp); daughters Anne (Steven) Joseph, Jane (James) Harrison, Susan (Gary) Hartley Brown; Mary (Timothy) Connolly, Lucy (Craig) Armstrong, and Jennifer (Gaetano) Capici; son Joseph (Edith) Hartley; grandchildren Adriana Ballines, Benjamin Joseph, Kristin Joseph (Jorge Ramirez), Richard (Melissa) Ewbank, David Brown, William Brown, Michael (Sarah Rae Erwin) Connolly, Robert Connolly (Stephanie Scorzo), Sarah Jo Connolly, Caty (Chris) Ford, Alyssa (Mark) Cromer, Elizabeth Armstong (Adam McElyea) ,Gabrielle (Ethan) Grabowski, Daniel Capici (Ana Cardenas), Adriana Capici (Cristian Ramiriez), and Isabel Capici (Stacy Lord); great grandchildren Emmalee Brown, Mason and Chase Ewbank, Leonardo Joseph, Isaiah Ramirez, Nora Ford, Lewis and Paul Cromer, and Kai Ramirez; several step grandchildren/great grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Richard, Donald, and Robert.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM at St. Anne Catholic Church, 551 Boulder Hill Pass, Oswego, IL. Burial with full military honors will follow at Risen Lord Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to St. Anne Catholic Church, P.O. Box 670, Oswego, IL 60543 or Alzheimer's Association, Illinois Chapter, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
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