Alvin Dean Plumbtree

Alvin Dean Plumbtree peacefully passed away on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Graveside services for Dean Plumbtree, age 66, of Wausa will be 11 a.m. Saturday, July 29, 2023, at Bloomfield City Cemetery in Bloomfield. Reverend Jacob Bobby will officiate.

Brockhaus Funeral Home in Wausa is in charge of arrangements.

“Dean” was born on Jan. 3, 1957, in Genoa to Lester and Betty (Hellbusch) Plumbtree where he was the youngest of six children. The family lived and farmed near Fullerton. Dean was baptized and confirmed at the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church in Fullerton. Dean attended country school at District 10 where he “walked to school uphill both ways, in 6-feet of snow with no shoes or coat, year around.” He also attended Belgrade Elementary and graduated from Fullerton in 1975. He also graduated with his Certified Welding Certificate from Yankton, S.D.

Dean married Sheri Jean (Schmeckpeper) Plumbtree on Aug. 22, 1987, and to this union five sons were born, Kyle, Tyler, Henry, Ryley “BuBBA” and Cody.

Dean was a farmer for many years in Belgrade and Wausa areas. He utilized his welding degree in the Yankton area, he also drove truck for Myles Lorentz Inc. where he met all his South Dakota and Minnesota Mater-Headed Mutts and Flunkeys. After his truck accident in Lincoln, Dean retired home to the farm and worked part time in Osmond at the Helena Chemical Company. Dean was a Staple in the community as a hunter and glorified lumber jack. Nothing gave Dean more pleasure than having his family and especially his grandchildren (Brantley, Ryker, Augustus, and Abigail) at the farm to help him tend to all the farm animals, tinker on his old tractors and keep the woodpiles stocked.

Dean is survived by his wife, Sheri Jean of Wausa; his sons, Kyle of Sioux Falls, S.D., Tyler (Anna Matucha) of Burke, S.D., Ryley “BuBBA” of Pischelville and Cody (Cheyenne Needham) of Winner, S.D.; grandchildren, Brantley “Ruffus,” Ryker “Rascal,” Gus and “Sissy;" sisters, Donna (Norman) Koehn of Egan, S.D., Betty Kay Pfeifer of Freeport, Fla., and Cathy Plumbtree of Plattsmouth; brother, Leonard (Vonda) Plumbtree of Big Sandy, Tenn.; along with numerous family and friends and his 4-legged best buddy, Joe.

Dean was proceeded in death by his parents, Lester and Betty; his sister, Karen Langlois; his infant son, Henry; his in-laws, Garron and Lois Jean Schmeckpeper; four brothers-in-law, Gary and Terry Schmeckpeper, Mike Pagel and Manny.