Dean Wilson Dickerhoof

November 9, 1935 - January 9, 2024

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Nalley-Pickle & Welch Chapel

Friday 1/19, 2:00 pm

Memorial Service

Dean W. Dickerhoof passed away January 9, 2024, in Midland, Texas. He was born on November 9, 1935, in Akron, Ohio, to Ralph and Daisy Dickerhoof. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Akron. It was there that he also met his future wife, Joy. Dean and Joy were married on August 27, 1958. They moved to Chicago where Dean continued his education, earning a master’s and doctorate in chemistry from the University of Illinois. Upon graduation, Dean accepted a teaching position at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. He taught undergraduate and graduate chemistry at Mines until his retirement in 2004.

As a young boy, Dean fell in love with trains. Trains were a life-long passion. He rode on trains, photographed trains and modeled trains. He read about trains and collected train memorabilia. He especially loved the Union Pacific. Dean’s daughters, Katerina and Cheryl, retain fond memories of family vacations that followed the train tracks, trips into Denver to visit the train hobby shops, and weekends spent at shopping malls for model train exhibits. Dean’s train friends remember train excursions, running model trains together, and his generosity with all he had collected.

Dean was a highly intelligent, talented man who accomplished many things, but it was not his accomplishments that defined him. Rather, it was his faithfulness in caring for what was important to him, whether it was teaching chemistry, enjoying trains, or providing for his family. It was Dean’s love for his family that took him to Midland, Texas, for the final stage of his life. He moved for his wife and his daughters.

Dean is survived by his wife Joy Dickerhoof, his daughter Katerina Scott and her husband Gary, his daughter Cheryl Fox and her husband Robert, and by his grandsons David Scott and Daniel Scott.

A funeral service will be held Friday, January 19, 2024, at 2:00 pm at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home Chapel. A memorial service will be held in Colorado at a later date.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.

Nalley-Pickle & Welch Chapel

Friday 1/19, 2:00 pm

Memorial Service

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I just learned of Dean's death. I was a grad student at Mines from 1972 to 1979 and spent many hours competing with Dean on the handball court. Our friendship and competition did not end with my Ph.D. and we continued to play together until the early 1990s when he retired from handball. In addition to the handball, Dean was a wonderful instructor in the 3 graduate level chemistry courses I took from him. I will remember him fondly. My sincere condolences to the entire Dickerhoof family. I have uploaded a photo of our handball group taken at my home in 1990. From l to r (standing): Dean, David Smith, Tom Zamis. From l to r (seated): Bill Young, David Mayer, and Phil Cloues.
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Dean was a great Inorganic chemist, teacher, friend and family man. I remember all the times we got together for game nights as families. He was also a great supporter of my academic career and my family. He will be sorely missed.

Dean was a great chemistry professor and family friend will be sorely missed. I remember all the fun game nights we had together as families.

A memorial tree was planted in memory of Dean Dickerhoof . Plant a Tree

Dr. Dickerhoof was already an emeritus professor when I was in grad school, so I mostly saw him when he subbed as a supervising professor in labs...until fall of 2014, when I had to take over the homeschooling of my 16-yo son for a few months. Simon didn't want to work in my office or lab, instead choosing to hang out in the little 3rd floor alcove off the atrium. I'd check in on him every half hour or so to make sure he was on task. That also happened to be the place where Dean, Scott Cowley, and crew hung out to play cards on occasion, and they totally took him under their wing...sometimes even encouraging him to hurry and finish his work early so they could have a fourth player for hearts. I still remember the day I popped out to check on Simon, and found him not working on his calculus homework, but rather huddled next to Dean. I asked him why he wasn't working, and he said: "Mom, I can't. Dean needs help figuring out his iPad." It takes a special kind of guy to take a random teenager under his wing. Dean, I wish I had told you how much I appreciated your kindness toward Simon that fall.

Dean was my PhD supervisor at Mines - I may have been his last one, finishing in 1996. He was a wonderful man who sparked a passion in me for an area of chemistry I had never seen. He was a skilled teacher who I still try to emulate in my teaching creativity. The world has lost a good chemist and a good man. Rest easy, Dean.

Peace of mind is a call away. We’re here when you need us most.

The entire Chemistry Department at Mines sends our condolences.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.