Dean Farnsworth

Lorimor Dean Farnsworth passed away on February 19, 2010. He was born on December 6, 1922 in Tarkio, MO, to Pauline (Shelby) and Francis Buland Farnsworth. He grew up around three aunts his age and thought of them as sisters. He was raised in the Westboro, MO and College Springs, IA area where he participated in the marching band and won many ribbons showing dairy cows in the Page County Fair. Dean graduated from Amity High School in College Springs with the Class of 1941. After taking some college courses, he joined the Army and served as a tech sergeant in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II stationed in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands. After returning from the service, he met and married his soul mate Naomi "Pat" Esther Webb on March 7, 1948. They started their life together living in the Blanchard and Coin area, eventually settling in Shenandoah, IA. Dean was then employed by Lane Brothers Drilling who aided him in creating his own business, the Dean Farnsworth Trenching Company in 1949 in Shenandoah. For fifty years Dean and his friend /employee Bert Shipley attended to the agricultural drainage and terracing needs, along with demolition, water, se...[more]

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and telephone installations of their many customers. One significant project was burying a telephone cable from the Coburg Tower, South of Red Oak, IA. to the SAC Air Force Base in Bellevue, NE. In 1965 while demolishing the Squire's Locker building in Shenandoah, Dean was involved in an accident that left him in a coma for several days with multiple injuries. Always determined, Dean battled back from the injuries to return to the business full time. Dean's interest outside of work included square dancing and traveling. He also enjoyed watching professional sports, cheering on the Phoenix Suns basketball team, exercising at the Recreation Centers, and eating ice cream, especially "Frosties" at Wendy's. Dean was a 60 year member of the Shenandoah First United Methodist Church, the American Legion, and Shenandoah Elks Lodge #1122. He worked very hard building his business and the trust of his customers through the years. He felt he had been helped by so many people in his business that he wanted to give back to the state of Iowa and help the future civil engineers of Iowa. Thus, he has given a portion of his estate to the Iowa State University Civil Engineering Department and he has established the Dean Farnsworth Scholarship in Civil Engineering. In 1991 Naomi "Pat" passed away after an extended illness. In 1993 he met Dorothy Hiatt in Sun City, AZ where he spent his winters. They married and lived in Arizona in the winter traveling to Colorado and Iowa during the other seasons. Dorothy remained his companion and cared for him until his passing. She is a resident of Sun City, AZ. and will continue to cherish their time together. Dean was preceded in death by his wife Pat, his parents, the aunts he grew up with, and his sister-in-law Hazel Bussard and her husband Estele. His survivors include his significant other Dorothy Hiatt Farnsworth; daughter Detra and husband Russell Braymen of Coin, IA., grandchildren Phillip and wife Jessica Braymen, Kutris Braymen and daughter Willow, Maria Braymen, Valerie Braymen and daughter Braelynn Kirby; son Ryan and wife LeAnn Farnsworth of Shenandoah, IA., and grandchild Melissa Farnsworth; step-children Anita and husband Russell Livingston and Gary and wife Geri Hiatt; nephew Gary and wife Betty Bussard, special god-daughter Kathryn and husband Robert Hanrath along with many other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Dean Farnsworth Scholarship in Civil Engineering, Iowa State University, 2505 University Blvd., Ames, IA.