Alter, F. Dean 1938-2016

ALTER, GOHLSON, HUNTER, JACOBS, HALTERMAN, MCGUIRE, BESTELL, GARR

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 9/18/2016 at 20:48:35

F. Dean Alter
September 13, 1938 ~ September 14, 2016 (age 78)

A visitation for Francis Dean Alter, 78, of Newton, will be held from 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, September 21, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. A Celebration of Dean’s Life will be held at 6 p.m., Friday, September 23, 2016, at the Kellogg Fire Department, 417 Front St., in Kellogg. The fire department’s “Final Call” will take place at 7 p.m. Memorials to the Kellogg Fire Department can be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. If mailing, please add “Attn: Alter Family” to the envelope.

Dean, the son of F. Henry and Bessie (Gohlson) Alter, was born September 13, 1938, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. His family moved to Grinnell in 1950, where Dean completed schooling through 8th grade. He was united in marriage with Kayleen Hunter on October 26, 1968, in Unionville, Missouri. He and Kayleen made their home in Grinnell before moving to Newton in 1974. They later moved to Kellogg where they lived for several years. Dean worked as a machinist at Midwest Manufacturing in Kellogg for over 30 years. Dean was a longtime member of the Kellogg Fire Department, where he received the nickname “Okie Dokie”. He enjoyed dancing, fishing, hunting, camping, bowling, and could often be found smoking his pipe. He was the life of the party and was a man who never met a stranger. His greatest joy was found in spending time with his grandchildren.

Those left to honor Dean’s memory include his wife, Kayleen of Newton; 5 sons: F. Dean (Tina) Alter, Jr. of Aledo, IL, Dennis Alter of IL, Rick (Stephanie) Alter of Newton, Tony (Amy) Alter of Newton, and Ramey (Amanda) Alter of Grinnell; his 11 grandchildren: F. Dean “DJ” Alter III, Chris Alter, Elizabeth Alter, Josie Jacobs, Chelsea Alter, Jessica Jacobs, Taylor Alter, Bronson Alter, Shevi Alter, Corbin Alter, and Autumn Alter; 3 great-grandchildren: Zoey, Wyatt, and Kasen; his sister, Bonnie Halterman of Grinnell; step-sister, Nelma McGuire of Wayland, IA; his sister-in-law, Veva Alter of Independence, MO; and his “adopted children”, Robbie Bestell of Kellogg and Karen Garr of Newton.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step-mom, Maggie Alter; son, Lenny Paul Alter; brother, Richard Alter; and his step-siblings: Mae, Ann, Maxine, Dick, Lloyd, and John. ~ The Wallace Family Funeral Home, Newton, Iowa 14 Sept 2016.