Dean Warner Dykeman, 81, of Austin died Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home in Austin.

He was born April 24, 1928 in Winona, Minn. to Floyd and Alta (Warner) Dykeman. He attended country school and graduated from Winona High School. Dean served in the US Air Force from 1950 to 1951. He was employed as a lineman with the Interstate Power Company for 38 years, retiring in 1987. Dean was married to Jean Ford Holmquist on Dec. 8, 1956 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.

Dean had an undiminished love of the outdoors and was a member of the Izaak Walton Club and the Austin Conservation Club. He also served as a gun safety instructor and was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Dean was a member of the Grace Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son Gary Holmquist and great grandson, Tadd Holmquist.

Dean is survived by his wife Jean Dykeman, Austin; son and daughters-in law, Steve and Susan Holmquist, St. Cloud, Minn., Mary Holmquist, Lolo, Mont.; daughter and son-in-law, Jody and Thomas Nygaard, Albert Lea; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; sister, Alice Moldenhaurer, Austin; and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday Oct. 23 at Grace Baptist Church with Pastor Gordon Larson officiating. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery in Austin, with Austin Post # 91 American Legion and Olaf B. Damn Post #1216 Veterans of Foreign Wars in charge of military rites. Friends may call at the Clasen-Jordan Mortuary from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday and for one hour before the service at the church on Friday.

The family prefers memorials to the Grace Baptist Church or to Lung Cancer.