Dean Jack Spence, age 86, of Elkhart, passed away at Greenleaf Health Campus on Thursday, July 26, 2012. Dean was born December 1, 1925 to the late Herman and Nina (Dixon) Spence in Peoria, Illinois. During his youth, Dean became an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Woodruff High School in Peoria in 1944. He then served his country in the US Army as a Technical Sergeant for headquarters personnel until his honorable discharge in 1946. Following his service, Dean enrolled in Bradley University in Peoria (1946-1950) where he obtained his Master''s Degree in chemistry with a minor in nuclear physics (1952-1953). Dean then enlisted in the US Navy in (1950-1952) as a Yeoman 1st Class as Forces Personnel for Vice Admiral Charles T. Joy. This involved the truce negotiations at Pan Mun Jon, Korea.
Dean worked as a graduate assistant for the Chemistry department at Bradley University in 1953, and then went to the US Dept. of Agriculture Research Lab from 1953-1954. Dean then went on to work for the technical sales department for the Quaker Oats Co. in New York from 1955-1956, then as a Senior Market Research Analyst for Roger Williams Tech Services in Princeton, N.J. from 1956-1964. In 1964, Dean joined Miles Labs as a Manager of Marketing Services and later as Vice President of Marketing Bio-Tech Products Division until his retirement in 1988.
He was preceded in death by his wife Betty Lee in 2003, and is survived by two sons, William (Carol) Spence of Mason, WI, and Scott (Carole) Spence of Elkhart, IN. Two granddaughters, Monica (Mike) Bigo and Sarah (Keith) Kopplin survive as well, along with 3 great granddaughters.
Visitation will be held from 5-8 pm Mon. July 30, 2012 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Osceola. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Tue. July 31, 2012 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, with interment to follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.
Dean enjoyed hobbies such as golf, flying, camping and amateur gunsmithing. He was a life member of the NRA, American Chemical Society, and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).
In his memory, donations may be made to the Parkinson''s disease Foundation at www.pdf.org.

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