R. Dean Dinkel

Richard “Dean” Dinkel, 47, passed away on January 9, 2019, in Sharon Springs, KS. He was surrounded by his family when he went to be with the Lord after a hard-fought, two-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer.

Dean was born on November 21, 1971, in WaKeeney, KS to parents Henry and Suzanne “Sue” (Mather) Dinkel. He was the eldest of five children, including, Randy, Devin, Joe, and Geni. Dean married Vicki J. (Sommerfeld) Dinkel on June 18, 1992 and they spent 26 years together building a family.

He graduated from Wallace County High School in 1990 and attended Pratt Community College, Chadron State College (B.S. in Political Science, 1994), and Washburn University School of Law (Juris Doctorate, 1998). Following graduation, Dean, Vicki, and children, Ashli Kate (1994) and Sarah Marie (1997) moved back to Sharon Springs where children Ellie Rose (1999), Janaeha Ann (2000), Brookley Jo (2003), and Kean Phillip (2006) were born.

Dean took pride in working hard and, upon moving back to Wallace County, practiced law and later became involved in the businesses owned by his father. He had a love for farming and also coached track for Wallace County Junior High and Wallace County High School.

Throughout his years in Wallace County, Dean spent time volunteering by coaching youth softball and baseball, helping with 4-H and the county fair, teaching religious education classes and serving as a eucharistic minister at Holy Ghost Catholic Church. He also enjoyed attending his children’s numerous sports, music, and academic activities, as well as spending time preparing 4-H projects especially swine, rocketry, and woodworking. One of his special talents was making breakfast for his family every morning before school.

He had many hobbies some of which include golfing with his brothers, playing pitch on Monday nights, helping with projects on his dad's farm, gathering with family on the holidays, and spending time with his wife and kids. Dean always enjoyed lacing up his shoes and going for a run. There is no doubt he has them on now running on those “streets of gold”.

Dean is survived by his wife Vicki Dinkel; his daughters Ashli, Sarah Klinge (Nate), Ellie, Janaeha, and Brookley, and son Kean; granddaughter Sophie Sue Klinge; grandmother Rosalie Mather; father Henry Dinkel; siblings Randy, Devin, Joe, and Geni Wilcox; father and mother-in-law Stan and Jan Sommerfeld; and numerous brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

He is preceded in death by infant grandson Raphael Ignacio Q. Windell (infant son of Ellie); mother Sue (Mather) Dinkel; and grandparents John Mather and Katie and Fred Dinkel.