Dean G. Seems, 91, passed away Tuesday July 27, 2021, at the Smith County
Memorial Hospital surrounded by his family. He was born on August 2,
1929, to James and Ellen (Gibeau) Seems on the family farm southeast of
Lebanon, Kansas. He was the fourth child of six children.
Dean attended Pleasant Hill Country School, while he assisted his
father on the family farm. While helping his father he exhibited an
enterprising spirit. At the age of 18 he purchased a combine and then
started following the wheat harvest from southern Oklahoma to the
Canadian border.
In 1953 Uncle Sam came calling, and Dean found himself going through
the United States Army boot camp. This was during the Korean War.
After completing his basic training, it was determined by the powers
that be to send half of the new soldiers to the war zone, and the other
half to Germany. As fate would have it Dean was part of the group that
went to Germany. Before taking his trip across the big pond he went
home on leave so that he could propose to the beautiful lady he had been
dating, Dorothy Giese from Smith County. Upon Dean’s return from the
service, He and Dorothy were united in marriage on September 18, 1955.
After the wedding they made their home east of Bellaire, KS, where he
farmed and their first-born child, Bruce, was born.
In 1958 the family moved to a farm east of Gaylord where the family
grew with the addition of Karen and Brenda. This is where Dean and
Dorothy farmed and raised their three children.
Dean was a member of the Farms Union, American Legion, and was a
lifetime member of the VFW. He has served as vice president and
president of the Smith County Fair Board. He Served on the Smith County
planning commission. He was a member of The Farmers Union and St. John
Lutheran Church in Athol, Kansas. He was on the church council at the
American Lutheran Church.
Some of Dean’s personal accomplishments include being the Senior
State Bowling Champion for 2001 and in 2005 he was honored by the
National Sorghum Producers for first place in the
conventional-till-non-irrigated division.
In 2005 the handsome Dean and beautiful Dorothy were honored to be crowned King and Queen of the Old Settlers Day Celebration.
He enjoyed being outdoors on his farm, visiting with friends and
acquaintances. His family was the light of his life. He enjoyed
playing cards, horseshoes, watching Royals baseball and KU basketball.
After retiring from farming, he assisted his wife in making her annual Christmas candy, while taste testing along the way.
He will be sadly missed and always remembered for kind, loving ways
and a smile that could make others around him smile and laugh.
Dean was preceded in death by his parents, his three brothers (Glen, Lloyd, and Buryl), and one sister Betty Bock.
Survivors include his wife Dorothy Seems of the home, son Bruce
Seems of Gaylord KS; Karen Loyd and Gary Haws of Winfield KS; Brenda and
Steve Cochran of Winfield KS; Granddaughter Melissa Griffith of Spring
Hill KS; one surviving brother Daryl Seems of Melvern, KS; and many
nieces and nephews.
Click HERE for service details.