(Arlen) Dean Looper, 83, died on June 23, 2024, from pancreatic cancer in Pampa, Texas. He wasn’t born in Texas but he darn sure made sure he died there.

He was born in Denver, Colorado, to Bill and Jane and was raised by a committee of relatives including his uncle JD and his Mammie. He was raised in Seattle and lived all over the world. But his love was for the Panhandle of Texas, where his people came from.

It’s an impossible task to encompass a man like Dean in an obituary but he was willing to try anything and was a master of seizing the opportunities presented.

He was a Marine salvage worker, longshoreman, merchant seaman, cook on a ferry, logger, pipeline installer, gold miner, airline steward for Alaska Coastal and Alaska Air, disc jockey for radio static across the PNW, comedy writer for the Rivoli Vaudeville Theatre in Seattle, brilliant actor, Deputy Marshall, and for a very brief time, county coroner when he received five votes after doing an autopsy on a horse.

By far his most-favored job was as City Manager in his beautiful Canadian, Texas.

No matter his job at the time, he never dreaded going to work. Ever. He valued hard work and the satisfaction that came from doing a full, honest day.

He appreciated his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which presented him with a great knowledge of Heavenly Father, The Savior and the promise of eternal families.

Dean married Kitty on November 29, 1965. He stayed devoted to her ‘till her last breath in June of 2022.

He is survived by his two daughters, Mary Vees and husband Steve, and Bridget O’Sullivan and husband Danny; kid sister Lynette; his beloved cousin Lois Dee; five granddaughters, Kennedy, Madison, Angela, Naomi, and Rowan; and one grandson, Ezekiel. He further found the greatest delight in his two great-grandsons, Edward and Kai and his brand-new great-granddaughter, Leena. 

He lived big, loved big and died beautifully.  We will miss his laughter, his stories, his love, his example of hard work and his boundless grace.

“I’m not afraid to die. I just love living so much!”

A memorial service will be held in Pampa on July 13, at 10 am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 411 E 29th St.

Services will be held September 14, in Bemidji, Minnesota, with further details TBD.