Friday, May 13, 2011

Dean A. Rivers


Dean A. Rivers, 84, of Oelwein, formerly of Floyd, died Friday, May 13, 2011 at Grandview Health Care Center in Oelwein.

Funeral services for Dean Rivers will be held 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Hauser Funeral Home in Charles City. Pastor Paul Fohs of Saint John Lutheran Church at Arlington will officiate. Burial will be in Sunnyside Memory Gardens rural Charles City.

Visitation will be at the Hauser Funeral Home Monday from noon until service time.

Dean Alfred Rivers was born July 1, 1926, in Mitchell County, the son of Alfred and Myrtie (Dawley) Rivers. He attended Charles City High School. On June 1, 1944, he was united in marriage to Rita Hagarty and they later divorced. Dean married Ruby Larson on March 21, 2008. Over the years he worked in construction, farmed and was employed at Salsbury Laboratories. His interests included dancing, singing and playing the piano. He will be remembered as a great whistler and one who enjoyed mowing grass and blowing snow.

Living family members include his wife, Ruby Rivers of Oelwein; six children, Ronald Rivers of Nashua, Edna Rivers of Winthrop, Gerald (Sue) Rivers of Keil, Wis., Roger Hagarty of Seattle, Wash., Kenneth Rivers of What Cheer and Teresa Rivers of Waverly; 15 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; three great great grandchildren; five step children, Mardelle (Leon) Streicher of Lamont, Roger (Mario) West of Unionville, Mo, Diane Smith of Lamont, Sheryl (Randy) Sherman of Maynard and Larry (Annette) West of West Union; 13 step grandchildren and 25 step great grandchildren; a sister, Unis Hughes of Charles City; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Brett Rivers; a brother, Ryal Rivers; and six sisters, Ruby Polluck, Lois Marks, June Lynch, Avis Brown, and Opal Porter.

The Hauser Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, in Charles City, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hauserfh.com.