Obituary: Barber, Dean Austin

BARBER, Dean Austin Was born February 1, 1928, in Fresno, California, and spent his early life halfway between Yosemite and Sequoia- King’s Canyon National Parks, in the small mountain town of Big Creek, where his father was a Resident Engineer supervising hydroelectric power generation.

Dean graduated from Roosevelt High School in Fresno in 1946, earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Fresno State College in 1954, and in 1962 received a Master’s Degree in Geology from the University of Idaho.

During World War II Dean was stationed near Tokyo, Japan, with an Ordnance Company of the US Army as a Technical Sergeant.

Because of his mechanical skills, he was a Special Repair Mechanic for jeeps and 2 1/2-ton trucks.

Recalled to duty during the Korean War, he again worked to restore damaged vehicles brought back from the front lines.

After the Korean War Dean was hired as a Seasonal Ranger at Grand Canyon National Park, where he met his future wife, Cordelia Erdman.

They married February 20, 1954, in Wheaton, Illinois.

Ten years later the couple established Living Springs Ranch, a retreat center initially for Christian pastors and missionaries, near Deer Park, Washington.

While maintaining the Ranch, Dean simultaneously worked in geological engineering all over the Pacific NW.

In 1973 he monitored construction of new buildings and bridges for Expo ‘74.

Also, many high rise buildings erected in Spokane during this period underwent his close scrutiny of their foundations.

Dean suffered a long undiagnosed cardiac infection, which necessitated a move to Spokane, where in November, 2000, two of his heart valves were replaced, giving him fourteen more years of life.

He died at home in his sleep December 29, 2014, surrounded with loving family and friends.

He was an unabashed believer in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, confident that when he left this earth he would step into a glorious future with Him.

His constant vision during the last years of his life is epitomized in the words of The Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

He is survived by his wife; his son Tim (Spokane); his daughter Tanna (Powell Ranger Station, Idaho); three grandchildren: Jay (Living Springs Ranch); Peter (Lincoln, Nebraska); Emily (Pullman, Washington); one great-grandchild (Caitlynn), his sister Joan (Rathdrum, Idaho); and numerous nephews and nieces and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at Westgate Christian Church, 7111 N. Nine Mile Road, Spokane on Saturday, January 10th at 3:30 p.m. A supper will be served following the service.