Dean Patrick O'Dea, 78, Spearfish, died Monday, September 15, 2014, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Funeral services are scheduled at 1:30pm on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood with Pastor David Baer officiating. Burial will follow at Whitewood Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 19, 2014, from noon to 5:00pm at Kinkade Funeral Chapel.

Dean and his twin brother, Dennis Paul, were born on July 30, 1936, in Philip, the son of John and Edna (Bennett) O'Dea. He was one of a set of identical twins to a family of fifteen children. He attended the Empire and Fairplay rural schools and his mother later home schooled the kids for a time. He then attended Philip High School. After high school he worked as a farmhand for a neighbor, where he met Sally Sundstrom in 1955. She was a schoolteacher that taught a number of Dean's siblings. They were married in 1956 and were blessed with five children. The couple moved to Lead where Dean worked in the Homestake Mine for three years, until they moved to Whitewood where he worked in any capacity that was needed including marshal, city maintenance man, fire chief, police chief, garbage man, and he took care of the cemetery. He faithfully worked for about ten years, until 1978, when the family moved to Vale and he began work at American Colloid. In 1982, he then went to work for Warf Mining Company until his retirement in 2000 when he went back to the family farm. He enjoyed his time on the farm until he was no longer able, then he moved to Spearfish and lived at Serenity Corner for the past three years where he was safe and well cared for.

Dean is survived by his sons, Randy (Betty) O'Dea, Gillette, WY, Marty (Dale) O'Dea, Whitewood, SD, Daniel (Lois) O'Dea, Vale, SD, Matthew (Koreen) O'Dea, Vale, SD; daughter, LaVera O'Dea-Ford, Vale, SD; brothers, Jack (Charlotte) O'Dea, Midland, Gene O'Dea, Hot Springs, Jim (Vonnie) O'Dea, Howes, Jerry O'Dea, Hot Springs, Leo O'Dea, Hot Springs, and Richard O'Dea, Hot Springs; sisters, Maurine Hagler, Meridian, ID, Phyllis (Marvin) Coleman, Quinn, Lillian (Eddie) DeKnikker, Gettysburg, Lorraine Smith, Emmett, ID, Mary Bauer, Rapid City, and Rosella (Tom) O'Bryan, Bagley, MN; five grandsons, four granddaughters, ten great-grandsons, and nine great-granddaughters.

He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Sally; one grandson, Jesse; one great-grandson, Tate, twin brother, Dennis; and his sister, Bonna Hagler.

A memorial has been established.

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