Dean Doyle Houdek

Dean Doyle Houdek, age 93, of Cottage Grove, Minnesota was born on December 21, 1931 in Faulkton, South Dakota, and passed away on January 14, 2025.

He is survived by his two sons, Dennis (Jane) and Gary (Diane); his brother Merten; grandchildren Zachary, Kaley, Emily, Ashley and Peter along with great-grandchildren Wyatt, Liam, Natalie, Evalyn, Amelia, Olivia, Isabelle and Dorian. He is preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Carol, parents Ernest and Esther, and siblings Ronald, Harold and Leona.

Dean graduated from Tracy High School in 1949 and went on to earn a B.S. degree in Mathematics along with two master's degrees in both mathematics and computer science all from Mankato State University.

Dean also served in the National Guard and U.S. Army being stationed in Germany for one year. He served as an educator in math at Zumbrota High School and then Park Senior High School for many years until his retirement. He was the head of the math department at Park Senior High and a very dedicated teacher.

Dean loved sports as he coached high school football, basketball, track and cross-country for almost all of his career. He was an inaugural inductee into the Park Senior High School Athletic Hall of Fame and received many other awards for his dedication and service as a coach in Minnesota. He also loved golfing and bowling, and after his retirement, worked as a golf ranger and shot over 100 rounds of golf in a single season. He was a life-long member of the Lutheran Church who loved his family and his friends and he will be greatly missed by all.

Special thanks to the wonderful staff at White Pines Assisted Living in Cottage Grove for the three years of excellent care they provided Dean and also to Olive Grove Hospice Care for their diligence in the last weeks of Dean's life. 

Celebration of Life gathering information will be given at a future date.