Funeral service for Dewey S. Rans, 61, of Aberdeen, will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, December 8, 2011 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1620 Milwaukee Avenue NE, Aberdeen with Pastor Deb Grismer officiating.
Visitation will be 4-7p.m., Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen and one hour prior to the funeral on Thursday, at the church. It was Dewey’s request to be cremated and his ashes be scattered at the 2012 Sturgis Rally.
Dewey passed away Sunday, December 4, 2011 at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, Aberdeen. Blessed be his memory.
Dewey Rans was born on March 3, 1950 to Earl and Margaret (Everts) Rans at Huron, South Dakota. The family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota when Dewey was 8 years old. He graduated from Washington High School in 1968.
Dewey served in the United States Army during Vietnam from 1969-1970. He began working for the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1974, which brought him to Aberdeen to live from 1984 until 1987. He returned to Aberdeen in 1991, where he worked at Aberdeen Machine and Tool. Dewey was a hard worker and was currently employed at Midstates Printing and Coach of America. He continued to make Aberdeen his home until the time of his death.
Dewey coached boys and girls YMCA basketball and kindergarten basketball for many years. He was also a gym supervisor and referee. He had many fond memories of this time; especially the years he coached Mariah’s team.
Dewey was a member of Aberdeen Abate and served as president for a few years. He loved planning the bike show and the Pierpont Rally. Dewey loved his Harley. We, as a family, are so grateful he was able to take a 16 day trip on his bike last summer, where he attended Sturgis and visited with many friends and then rode on to Wyoming and finally to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he spent almost a day touring the Harley Davidson Museum. Seeing the museum fulfilled a life-long dream of his.
Dewey had a heart of gold and always wanted to help people. The only regret he had was not seeing his little Mariah graduate from high school in May of 2012 and then furthering her education at USD the following fall. For this reason, Dewey had requested, in lieu of flowers, that a college fund be set up for Mariah at US Bank in Aberdeen.
Grateful for sharing Dewey’s life are his significant other, Lisa Bloom, their daughter, Mariah Bloom and Lisa’s son, Eric Erbe, all of Aberdeen; his daughter, Nadean Rans of Bridgeport, CN; grandchildren, Jon Rans of GA and Hailey and Joe Rans of MN; and sisters, Phyllis Gillies and Carol Grigsby, both of Rapid City, SD.
Dewey was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather; and two sisters.
