Dean R. Grewell, Jr. (2016)

GREWELL, BUNNELL, FEGAN, COOPER, DWIGANS, CRUZ

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 9/13/2016 at 22:09:43

Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa
Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Dean R. Grewell, Jr., Des Moines

Dean R. Grewell, Jr. , 86, died Saturday, September 10, 2016, surrounded by his family. A memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 19 at Iles Funeral Homes - Dunn's Chapel with private interment to follow.

Dean was born on May 15, 1930, in Billings, Montana to Dean Monroe Grewell and Helen Bunnell Fegan. He grew up with his mother around Earlham, Iowa but attended high school in Billings, Montana. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served for three years before going to the University of Oklahoma where he met and married his wife of almost 60 years, Phyllis Cooper Grewell.

While at the University of Oklahoma, Dean enrolled in the ROTC program for the US Air Force. Dean then served as a fighter/interceptor pilot and was stationed in Minneapolis, MN, Great Falls, MT, and Grand Forks, ND where his children, Dean Richard "Rick" Grewell III, Lawrence Hobbs "Larry" Grewell, and Patricia Cooper "Patty" Grewell were born respectively. No discussion of his service would be complete without mention of his year in Newfoundland, stationed at the radar station at St Anthony (aka St. Agony).

Upon completion of his active duty in 1962, Dean moved to Des Moines with his family and joined the Iowa Air National Guard unit where he served until 1973 attaining the rank of Major. Also in 1962, Dean began his long and distinguished career in Finance and Real Estate. First with Bankers Life (now Principal) where he was beaming the day they made him a corporate officer and then as President of Brenton Mortgage Company, President of Meredith Mortgage Company (Better Homes and Gardens Realty), President of Washington Square Mortgage Company, and eventually the Vice President, Investments at Wellmark where he retired at the age of 74.

You can't know Dean without also knowing that while juggling all of the above, he ran the family farm in Earlham where his passion was raising beef cows. He also loved cooking, hunting and fishing but most of all loved to spend time with his children and grand children.

Dean is survived by his wife, Phyllis; Sisters, Betty Dwigans of Kansas City, MO and Jean Fegan of Des Moines; Brother, Don Grewell of Billings, Mt.; Son, Rick and wife. Palma Cruz. along with their three children, Lawrence, Dean and Monica of Des Moines; Son. Larry and his wife. Barbara of New York; Daughter, Patty and her children, Katie and Zoe of California.

Memorial Contributions may be directed to Iowa Public Television or Iowa Public Radio.