H. Dean Wilson

H. Dean Wilson of Topeka, Kansas, died peacefully on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the age of 91, after a short bout with leukemia.

Harold Dean Wilson was born October 8, 1934, in Fredonia, Kansas to Thomas Milford and Reva (Lee) Wilson. He and his twin brother’s childhood was spent moving between the family farm and Fredonia where his father worked at and later owned the bakery.

In 1955, Dean was invited by a friend to go square dancing with a young woman named Opal Parker. They soon became a couple and were married June 23, 1957.

Prior to the wedding, Dean moved to Topeka, Kansas to attend Clark’s School of Business and got a job as the Office Manager for Bob Florence Contractor, a position he held for 41 years.

Dean and Opal immediately became active members of Highland Park United Methodist Church and the IHS Sunday school class. Dean was serving on the Finance Committee and as a money counter right up until his illness kept him away from church. Over the years, Dean held many leadership positions in the church, as well as the United Methodist Men. He also served for many years as the Vice President of the United Methodist Men’s Wider Area Group. In his younger days, he had been an outstanding pitcher on the HPUMC’s fastpitch softball team.

Dean was previously a member of the Highland Park Optimist Club, including serving as its president. and was awarded a lifetime membership of Optimist International in 1981.

Busy raising two children, Dean and Opal took a break from square dancing. A few years after the kids left home, the couple returned to the activity where they first met. After Opal died unexpectedly in January 2000, Dean became a natural dance partner with Dotty Hamilton, a member of the square dance club who had lost her husband the year before. They soon became more than square dance partners and were married October 21, 2000. Dean lost Dotty to cancer in 2018.

An avid gardener, he enjoyed growing vegetables, flowers, and cactus. The son of a baker, he also enjoyed baking and especially candy making. He was known for his Christmas goodies, peanut brittle being his specialty.

As well as his two wives, he was preceded in death by his brother, Larry Wilson, sister, Joyce Crawford, and son, Lyle Wilson. He is survived by his brothers, Dale Wilson and Billy Wilson; his daughter, Linda (Keith) Stokes; grandchildren, Jesi Lipp and Mary (Nicholas) Clow; great-grandchildren, Isabella and Madeline; step-children, Glenda Ridgeway (Tracy), Brenda Hamilton, and Jeffrey Hamilton; step-grandchildren, Ben Tenpenny (Erica), Deanna Dawson (Nathan), Brad Tenpenny (Sarah), Michael Busa, Bryan Ditzler, Lena Kirchhoff, Blake Hamilton; step-great-grandchildren, Taylor, Morgan, Andrew, Aaron, Alexander, Stella, Charley, Georgia, Tatum, Ezekiel, Lily, Leo, Brandon and Cammie.

Dean moved to Aldersgate Village in Topeka in 2024 and immediately made friends there as he has in all aspects of his life.

A public visitation will be on Sunday, December 7, 4-6:00 p.m. in Wesley Hall at Aldersgate, 7220 SW Asbury Dr, Topeka. A funeral service will be held on Monday, December 8, at 10:30 a.m. at Highland Park United Methodist Church, 2914 SE Michigan Ave, Topeka. Graveside inurnment will be at 3:30 p.m. at Fredonia City Cemetery, South Cement Plant Road, Fredonia, Kansas followed by a dinner at The Kitchen Table, 114 S 3rd St.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions made to Highland Park United Methodist Church.

Dove Southeast Chapel, 2843 SE Minnesota Ave. is assisting the family with service arrangements.

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