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Susan E. Dean                  Send flowers

Services: Linworth United Methodist Church, 7070 Bent Tree Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43235 at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2026

Visitation: A visitation for family and friends will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the church

Susan Elaine (Kinsler) Dean was born to Ruth V. (Drake) Kinsler and Kenneth R. Kinsler on October 6, 1936 in Marion. Susan grew up in their beautiful white house in New Bloomington, where she also attended classes at Agosta (later New Bloomington) School. She had her first date with Howard Dean (later Mr. Susan Dean), a handsome young basketball player from Meeker School, at the tender age of 16. Susan graduated from Agosta in 1954 and went on to major in Medical Technology at (THE) Ohio State University, graduating in 1958. Howard and Susan were married in 1958, as soon as it was clear that graduation would proceed as planned. Susan worked in Medical Technology at Marion General Hospital until 1960, when her first son, John, was born. She was approached by New Bloomington School to teach their first ever Kindergarten Class, which was held in a room under the bleachers of the auditorium. She did this for two years, dropping John off at her mother Ruth’s home, and walking to the school. In 1963, Susan had a daughter, Amy, and her profession changed again to Piano Teacher. Susan had played piano her whole life and her father, Kenneth, an electrical engineer, an artist, and a musician himself, and encouraged Susan’s talent. Once, Susan asked her father if he would purchase the sheet music for a song popular at the time. The legendary response was, “You don’t need sheet music, you have ears.”, so Susan trained herself to play by ear. She played for New Bloomington Church and became an avid sight-reader. All of these experiences served her well. Susan taught piano for over 50 years, had hundreds of students, played piano and organ at church, and loved to play for community and high school theater. By 1964, Howard’s job took him to New Philadelphia. There, Susan taught piano, raised her children, and took up the hobby of moving from house to house. Literally. The Dean’s first house was on 3rd Street, their second was on 4th Street, and they built a new home on Independence Circle. Then came Norton Sporting Goods. In 1968, Howard and Susan bought a small, independent sporting goods store in Norton, just outside of Waldo and across Route 23 from the Delaware State Dam area. Of course, Susan taught piano lessons, but now she waited on customers, counted worms, dipped minnows, and took care of all the accounting for the business as well. She played organ and piano at Waldo United Methodist Church for many years. Susan’s youngest son, James (a.k.a. “Jamie”), was born in 1971 and a five short years later the family of five moved into their new, self-built, home in Norton, crafted from an abandoned church. Susan took great pride in her new home, and spent lots of time decorating and transforming it over the decades. Susan was a pianist for many productions at Buckeye Valley High School beginning in the 1970’s, as a mainstay for the music director, Elaine Mobius, who established musical theater at the school. Susan encouraged her children to participate in music, and took them to many recitals and musical performances. Susan was a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs, and the Marion Federation of Music Clubs, and served in several leadership capacities. She was a member of the National Guild of Piano Teachers which is a part of the Teacher’s Division of The American College of Musicians. After James took over Norton Sporting Goods, Susan traveled, with Howard in tow, serving as a judge for many USA Piano Guild National Piano Playing Auditions. Although Susan loved to teach, she also loved to play. She received several awards from the USA Piano Guild herself, including the Early Bach Award, the Advanced Bach Award, the IFL Allison Library Approved Repertoire Award, and the Sonatina Award, to name a few. In later life, as her eyesight began to fail because of glaucoma, Susan would practice her music with her eyes closed, so that just in case she lost her sight completely, she would still feel confident in her playing abilities. Family was incredibly important to Susan. As an only child, her “sisters” were her cousins, and what others would consider “extended family” were pulled into the inner circle. She took responsibility for organizing two family reunions a year, the Drakes and the Deans, and personally took on the job of making certain the Drake Reunion made it to its 100th year. Susan and Howard eventually joined Linworth United Methodist Church and became very involved in its ministries. Although she was not a directly involved, one of the things that attracted Susan to the church was the high quality of the music program, both in the traditional service and the modern Praise service. Susan enjoyed her Sunday School class, and often shared with her children interesting information learned in that setting. She and Howard were very involved in the Garage Sale, which raises funds for ministry. Susan was also a mentor for the MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers) program, where she had the opportunity to work with other moms navigating life with young children. At the beginning of this year, Susan started having digestive issues, which landed her in the hospital several times in June and July. She had a successful surgery at the beginning of August, but her body had become too frail for a full recovery. She passed from this life to the next at 9:28 a.m. on 9/28, Leave it to a teacher to give her children a mnemonic to remember her by. Susan is preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Ruth. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Howard Dean; three children, John (Cheri) Dean of Cincinnati, Amy (Dan) Doty of Wadsworth , and James (Rejeana Wollum-Napier) Dean of Marion; eight grandchildren, Joshua Dean, Julia (Dean) Blanchard, Kristian Doty, Sean Dean-Doty, Kaetlyn Doty, Noah Dean, Isaac Dean, and Job Dean;  six step-grandchildren, Joshua McFarland, Matthew McFarland, Jonathan David (JD) McFarland, Sierra (Woolum) Hernandez, Marissa Napier, and Preston Napier; seven great grandchildren, Bryson Dean, Ryland Dean, Braylynn Dean, Evelyn Blanchard, Ethan Blanchard, Declan Doty, and Atlas Doty; and five step great grandchildren, Sophia McFarland, Miles McFarland, Lucie McFarland, Theodore McFarland, and Sylvia McFarland;. A Memorial Service will be held at Linworth United Methodist Church, 7070 Bent Tree Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43235 at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Rev. Dr. Anna Guillozet will officiate. A visitation for family and friends will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the church. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at LaRue Cemetery in LaRue. This would have been Susan’s 90th birthday. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made to Linworth United Methodist Church in Susan’s memory. The Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Home is assisting the family. Condolences and remembrances may be expressed at www.stofcheck-ballinger.com Directions to LaRue Cemetery Directions to Linworth United Methodist Church  (website) Florist Login

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Condolences       to #1 from: Cheryl A Wilcox Marion Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 4:50 PM I am so very sorry for your loss. I always enjoyed every conversation I ever had with Susan. #2 from: Cheryl A Wilcox Marion Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 4:50 PM I am so very sorry for your loss. I always enjoyed every conversation I ever had with Susan. #3 from: Lynne Ledley   Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 6:10 PM Howard and family I am so sorry to hear of Susan's passing. Gary enjoyed working for you when you bought the store and helped you getting into the gun business! A memory to share with you! You and Susan went away for the weekend and Gary and I stayed there when you were still living in the store and the phone rang in the middle of night and he had an Army Reserve drill that he had to go to. He explained that it was impossible because he had to run the store! They finally relented and said he had to run into Marion and check in and was released to come back before the store  opened!!! My thoughts and prayers are with your family during this difficult time.

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