This month we are spotlighting a man who was not born or raised in Salem.  However, he promised his wife he would bring her back to where she was born and grew up, which he did two different times.

L. Dean Lee was born in Idaho and raised in Nevada.  He attended business school in California and then came to Utah to attend BYU.  While at BYU he joined the Army Reserve in 1942 with the promise he would never have to serve in action.  However, in 1943 he was called to action in Germany.  He was in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944.  Because he was the only one around who knew shorthand, he served in the MIlitary Court System.  He was very busy and while there, Dean received the Bronze Star for his service.

He courted his future wife Neva Joy Allan (from Salem) in Panaka, Nevada.  She had come to help her sister with her young family.  They were 13 and 14 at that time.  He said "Have you ever saw a big full moon over the desert in Nevada?  It is magnificent."  He married Neva Joy in 1943 and they had their first child while he was serving in Germany.

After discharge, while working for Geneva Steel, he moved Neva Joy to Salem for the first time.  He bacame Mayor of Salem at that time.  He was transferred to Lander, Wyoming to work in administration for the steel company.  That job didn't work out because of too much politics involved.  From there they went from the freezer to the furnace when they moved to Mesquite, Nevada where he taught school for 20 years.  During that time, he received his Masters Degree from Northen Arizona University at Flagstaff.

Together they have 9 children, 6 girls and 3 boys.  They have 41 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren who are now scattered all around.

After retiring in Nevada, they moved to Kanosh where Dean became the manager of the Fillmore Hospital for 6 years.  As promised, he moved Neva Joy back to her beloved Salem where they were together for 6 wonderful years.  After she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he took very good care of her.

Dean plays the piano by ear and does so on a regular basis at the Spanish Fork Senior Center.  Thank you for your service.

MAY GOD BLESS OUR SENIORS!

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From "Senior Spotlight", Salem City Newsletter, September 2012 -  P 3