Dean Charles Beemer

(Sept. 21, 1926 - Nov. 15, 2020)

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Dean Charles Beemer, 94, went to be with Jesus Nov. 15, 2020. His wife of 71 years and his family were with him.

Dean was born on a farm in Sumner, Missouri, on Sept. 21, 1926, to Sim and Mary Smith Beemer. The doctor had to come by rowboat to deliver him, as it was high water. The farm is now a waterfowl refuge.

Dean was the fifth child of 12, with five brothers and six sisters. The family later moved to a farm in Conway, Iowa. In high school he excelled in basketball and made first team all county. Later he attended college at Northwest Missouri State and traveled with the basketball team.

He left college to join the military service but failed the physical because of a heart condition. Dean then went on to work the wheat harvest from Montana to Texas and then took an adventure with friends to Cuba.

Back on the farm in Iowa, he married the love of his life, the girl next door, Betty Jean Freemyer. They farmed for five years. They had three children in Iowa: Dianne, Dena, and David, and later their son Donald would be born. Then, leaving the farm, in 1954 they moved their family to Cody. They later moved to Greybull while Dean worked for Pacific Power and Light.

After a time he went to work for the Bureau of Reclamation as a lineman and they then lived at Boysen Camp. While there, Dean and Betty’s fourth child, Donald, was born in 1956. In January 1960, the family moved to Seminoe Dam and then later to Kortes Dam, where Dean trained to become a power plant operator. In 1964, they moved to Thermopolis, and Dean began working at Boysen Power Plant. In 1968, the family moved back to Cody where Dean became the plant foreman at Buffalo Bill Dam.

He retired from the power plant in 1986, then went into real estate in 1987 at Brokerage West for Karl Butler and Dan Hunter. He worked with office manager, Rikki Pomajzl, and an amazing team of realtors. Dean worked in real estate for 23 years before retiring at age 84.

In 1960, he climbed the Grand Teton. He was a member of the Elks Lodge and the Cody Lion’s Club. He was a photographer and an avid alpine skier. Dean was an avid fly fisherman, he loved to hunt big game, and he was a guide for many years at Shoshone Lodge on the North Fork. He was a great storyteller, following in the footsteps of his father. Dean and Betty loved to travel. They traveled to each of the 50 states, Canada, and Mexico, and skied 25 ski areas in the western United States.

In 1990, Dean rode in the Wyoming Centennial Wagon Train with his sons, Dave and Don. He rode many years as an outrider for the Fourth of July Cody Stampede Parade. Dean spent many years following his sons and grandchildren in many different sports and activities.

In his last few years, one of his favorite weekly events was coffee at the Irma with his longtime friends, who faithfully picked him up every Wednesday. Our heartfelt thanks go out to those loyal friends.

Dean led an interesting life, and people often told him he needed to write down his life story. Dean was quiet about his faith, but his relationship with Jesus was certain. He spent many quiet mornings later in life with his precious wife of 71 years reading the Bible and a daily devotional. He found peace in the Lord and is now joyfully living pain free in his presence. We’ll see you in a little while, Dean.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, and three sisters.

He is survived by his sister Mary Lou Schofield; sister Alice Miller; brother Jerry (Jean) Beemer; sister Sally (Gary) Hensley; brother Tim (Linda) Beemer; his wife Betty Beemer; four children, Dianne (Jerry) Kaelberer, Dena (Rich) Roemmich, David (Cindy) Beemer and Donald (Karen) Beemer; and his 12 grandchildren, Stacey (Bart) Grenz, Shane (Millie) Roemmich, Shelley (Mark) Musser, Crystal (Andrew) Whitlock, Ryan (Katie) Roemmich, Brandon Beemer, Tanner Beemer, Brianna (Sam) Holm, Tory Beemer, Darby (Jordan) Beaverson, Braxton Beemer and AJ Beemer; nephew Jack (Lynn) Beemer; niece Connie (Rich) Cook, of Cody; and great-grandchildren, Forrest (Mallory), Alecia, Sabrina, Jared, Tyler, Ben, Riley, Evan, Carter, Ramsey, Xander, Iyla, Colbie, Ridge, Owynn, Joeli; great-great-grandson Charlie; and many, many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Thursday, Nov. 19, at 4 p.m. at the Cody Missionary Alliance Church in Cody. The family invites you to dress in cowboy attire in honor of Dean. The Cody Missionary Alliance Church requires that those in attendance wear face coverings.

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