Dean Leo Whitney

On October 17, 2021 Dean Leo Whitney was called home to play trumpet for his heavenly father. Dean was born in Prosser, WA on May 2, 1936, to Niles and Veva Whitney and joined an older sister Dorothy. He grew up helping his father on their fruit orchard. He was educated in the Grandview School system and graduated with the class of 1954. Dean continued his education at Seattle Pacific for two years and then finished out his bachelor’s degree in business and Horticulture at WSU. Dean married Joyce Ann Trudgeon on August 23, 1957 and continued his career as an Orchardist at the end of Grandridge road. They raised their family on the farm and in the church. Dean was a devout Christian from an early age and shared his music talent as well as his spiritual guidance in the Nazarene, Church of God, and the Presbyterian Churches. He enjoyed many hobbies such as getting his pilot’s license and sharing a Cessna airplane with a group of friends. He raised, broke, and rode horses and lived out his dream of becoming a cowboy and herding cattle on the Satus Hills with some of his cowboy friends. Dean and Joyce spent many years Square Dancing not only in Grandview and Yakima, but also in their travels. During the winter he enjoyed snowmobiling with family and friends and in later years was a snowbird traveling to Indio, CA. It was there he discovered he enjoyed flying and controlling Drones. He is preceded in death by his parents, Niles and Veva Whitney and his sister, Dorothy, and by his son Kirk Whitney. Dean is survived by his wife, Joyce of Pasco, WA, and children Steve (Sharon) Whitney of Madera CA, and Marcie (Mike) Wall of Pasco WA. He loved his 9 Grandchildren and 9 1/2 Great Grandkids dearly.

Viewing and visitation will be held Thursday, October 28, 2021 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Smith Funeral Home in Sunnyside, WA. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 29, 2021 at 1:00 pm at the Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Sunnyside, WA. with burial to follow at Grandview Cemetery, Grandview, WA. Those wishing to sign Dean’s online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com Smith Funeral Home Grandview is in care of arrangements.

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