Earl Francis Dean, 96, of Hayden, passed away at his home on May 3, 2011. Earl was born Nov. 13, 1914, in Walthill, Neb., and was the 10th of 13 children born to Edward Erastus Dean and Mary Thibault Dean.

Earl graduated from Walthill High School in 1934 where he was a member of the football team. He held various jobs during his school years including helping on the family farms.

Earl married Florence Bernice Tucker on April 3, 1939, in Sioux City, Iowa. They celebrated 65 years of marriage prior to her death in 2004 and he carried her driver's license next to his until the day he went to be with her.

Hobbies throughout his life have been tractor work, woodworking, camping, hunting, fishing, cards, bowling, horseshoes, driving his car and beating every family member and friend that sat down to play cribbage with him! He loved to help family and friends and was known throughout the neighborhood for snow blowing most of the driveways on the cul-de-sac. When asked what he attributed his long life to he would always answer "working and staying active."

Earl and Florence moved to California from Nebraska in 1942. He worked for San Diego as a city bus driver and ran a small produce farm until starting his own tractor business in 1953. Son Jim and Randy Nesiba joined the business in 1970 and it became Earl Dean and Sons. He was never idle, always working on one project or another since retirement in 1975. He was a longtime resident of Encinitas, Calif., until moving to Idaho in 1985. In 1997 he returned to California and lived in Vista until making his final home in Hayden in 2003. The trips he enjoyed the most during retirement were family reunions in Nebraska and a fishing trip to Alaska in 2009.

He is preceded in death by his father, mother, sisters Gail, Bessie, Mable, Angie, Alice and Laura, and brothers Melvin, Lloyd, Raymond, Harold, Emory and Elmer.

He is survived by two children, James Edward Dean (and wife, Mary) of Hayden and Donna Dean Reuser (and husband, Ron) of Post Falls; grandchildren Julie Anne Martini (and Kirt) of Hayden, Shelley Renee Rencher (and Brian) of Fairbanks, Alaska, Kevin Dean of Arroyo Grande, Calif., Robert Dean (and Barbara) of Vista, Calif., and James Dean of Encinitas; great-grandchildren Dylan, Jared and Taylor Martini, Luke Rencher, Kenny and Amy Dean, Joshua and Lynda Dean, Jaydin, Allexis and Evin Dean and many nieces and nephews whom he loved like his own children.

Our Father will be remembered for many reasons, especially for his never-ending humor, his honesty, his work ethics, his loyalty to family and friends, and his love and dedication to our Mother.

Funeral services will be held Monday, May 9, 2011, at Yates Funeral Home, 373 E. Hayden Ave., Hayden, noon to 1 p.m. visitation, 1 p.m. service followed by graveside services at Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens and reception at the home of his daughter in Post Falls.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID, 83835.

Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel, is entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Earl's online memorial and sign his guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.