Jul 31, 2021

Dean G. Seems

Posted Jul 31, 2021 6:45 PM

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.

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