Ernie Lee Dean "Big ERN"

Ernie Lee Dean, 71, of Cranesville, P.A. passed away peacefully at home on his family farm Wednesday, June 15, 2016 surrounded by his wife and children.

He was born in Elk Ridge, West Virginia on May 31, 1945 to the late Ernest and Carshul Dean.

He graduated from Northwestern High School in 1964 and attended four years of apprentice school. After working for 30 years as a Union Carpenter he retired from Local 95 out of Cleveland, Ohio in 2004. Ernie was also an early soldier in God’s army. Early in his life he spread the word of God and helped Papa Keifer get the bus ministry started for the Federated Church. He loved The Lord with all his heart, mind and soul, so it is comforting to know he has gone home.

He was an avid fisherman, hunter and a man that could find anything at a good yard sale. When he wasn’t spending his time driving back and forth to Cleveland and working side jobs, he would take his family down to Elk Creek where they would go "chubbing" or go to the mouth of Lake Erie and spend nights fishing for catfish. He enjoyed collecting knives and telling jokes to anyone who would listen. He loved his wife with all his heart and loved to spend time arguing with his children (a Father’s love). He enjoyed spending time watching his grandsons and granddaughters playing sports and was always the one yelling the loudest in the stands. On Sunday morning you would find him listening to the oldies as he peeled potatoes getting ready for the family’s traditional breakfast of fried eggs, fried potatoes, bacon, white gravy and biscuits. It goes without saying that it is next to impossible to describe the man Dad was and what he meant to all of us in a few paragraphs.

Besides his parents, Ernie was preceeded in death by his sister Karen (Dean) Mc Conegly of Cranesville.

Ernie is survived by his loving wife, Janelle (Anthony) Dean whom he called "Angel", "You’re home, Daddy, and I’ll see you in Heaven", children Dianna Dean, Cheryl (Dean) Rood (Kevin), Jamie Cipalla (Katie) "You’re home, Buddy.", Ernie Dean (Sam) "I love you and I’ll miss you, Wahtaush", Erin (Dean) Plizga (Matt) "I love you so much, Dad.", Beth Dean (Desi) "I love you with all my heart, Dad", his 10 grandchildren, "We love you, Papa", five great-grand children and a brother Eathel Dean (Viola), and sisters Della Natola (Chuck), Hellen Barko, Elizabeth "Libby" Tallman (Ken), Paulean Yazembiak (Nick), Jean Cleavenger (Al), and Mickey Wolffe.

The family would like to thank all the family members, friends, doctors, and nurses (especially MICU at Hamot) who have given care, words of support, and prayers to Dad and our family.

As per Ernie’s wishes, there will be no funeral or service, the family just simply asks that you enjoy the time you have with your loved ones while you have them.

In closing, Dad would get his newspaper every morning and go straight to the obituaries, so we find this only fitting to end with something Dad would say every day, "Look, they all died in alphabetical order again today."

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