Charles "Charley" Harold Dean, 52, a Carson City resident passed away at his home in Carson City on June 15, 2008.
Charley was born on December 14, 1955 in Pocatello, Idaho the son of Douglas and Evelyn (Bartoschek) Dean. The family moved to San Jose, Calif. in 1959, where Charley was a principal bassoonist with the San Jose Youth Symphony at the age of 13. After high school he worked the Alaska Pipeline, and then lived a life of adventure, skiing and guiding climbs in the Grand Tetons. He returned to higher education at the College of Maine studying Marine Biology, but fell in love with geology, ultimately completing his bachelor's degree at Sonoma State University in California. In 1996 he moved to Ely to work as an Ore Control Geologist at the Hamilton Gold Mine. The crash in gold prices relocated him to the Reno area, where he worked surveying and contract geology through CGS. In 1998 he took employment as an industrial chemist in Carson City, where he purchased a home. Charley converted his geologic survey experience to the civil arena, working for KB Foster, serving in the Lake Tahoe Area. He later taught himself AutoCAD, and worked as a draftsman in Civil engineering, contributing to many public and private projects in the Carson City area. Charley was a path breaking rock climber, and in the 1970's was a well-known figure in the Yosemite Valley Climbing Camp. He loved sailing and lived aboard his sailboat in the San Francisco Bay for a number of years, staying the longest in Sausalito and San Francisco. After moving to Carson City in 1998, Charley taught himself to build Cedar Canoes of great beauty, earning him the neighborhood nickname "Boat Man".
Charley is survived by his wife Debbie Dean of Carson City, and parents Douglas and Evelyn Dean of San Jose, Calif.
He was preceded in death by his beloved sister Laura.
The family has requested that donations be made in lieu of flowers or cards in his name: Charles Dean, to the Heifer International at PO BOX 8058 Little Rock, AR 72203.
Arrangements are in the trusted care of Autumn Funerals and Cremations.