Dean M. White, 89

Published 4:10 pm Saturday, March 5, 2011

Dean White

Dean M. White, 89, of Austin, died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, under the compassionate care of Grand Meadow Health Care and Austin Center Hospice.

Dean was born in Wilmot, S.D., May 8, 1921, to Floyd and Edna (Peterson) White. He graduated from Wilmot High School and attended the Minnesota School of Business. He served proudly as a U.S. Army Paratrooper for three years during World War II with the 11th Army Airborne. He made 99 combat jumps, including the Los Banos raid behind enemy lines, which liberated thousands of civilian and military POWs in the Philippines.

Dean was employed for 43 years by Geo A. Hormel Co. of Austin and retired as claims manager in the corporate office.

The city of Austin honored Dean as volunteer of the year in 2002 for his work in the Mower County Law Enforcement Reserve Unit for 33 years.

Dean was preceded in death by his wife and childhood sweetheart of 65 years, Bobbie. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Philip Solberg of Chippewa Falls, Wis.; grandchildren, Jennifer Solberg of Chippewa Falls and Matthew Solberg of Phoenix.

“I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now for I shall not pass this way again.”

Fulfilling Dean’s wishes, there will be no memorial service.