Dean Dieter Nowak

Dean Dieter Nowak, 69, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, August 12, 2019 surrounded by his wife and children. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at Mercer Creek Church in Ellensburg.  Burial with military honors will follow at the IOOF Cemetery and all are invited to a reception back at the church following the committal.

Dean was born on October 8, 1949 in Oberhausen, Germany, the son of Herbert Nowak and Gunvor (Siem) Nowak.  He moved to the United States in 1954 at the age of 5 with his sisters, his mother and his stepfather, Kurt Wolf.  He attended school in Auburn and Kent.  Following high school, Dean enlisted in the United States Army and served for two years with one year of foreign service in Korea working in communications.  He was honorably discharged in 1972. 

Dean then married the love of his life, Judy L. Vandenberg on December 31, 1970.  Together they moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1971 and Dean attended Pikes Peak Institute of Medical Technology where he finished at the top of his class and became a Medical Lab Technologist.

Moving to New Mexico in 1976, Dean began working in the lab at the hospital in Las Vegas, New Mexico, a position he held for almost 5 years.  Enjoying the outdoors, they had bought a piece of property and in their spare time, they built a log cabin, cutting and peeling the logs by hand.  In 1980, the Nowak family moved back to Washington State, finally settling in Ellensburg, where Dean worked at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital for 39 loyal years.  He re-enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1982 and served with the 737th Transport Company out of Yakima, retiring in 2002 with over 20 years of service.

Dean and Judy were married for 49 years.  They had 7 children together and 8 grandchildren.

Dean was a dedicated believer in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord and was a member of both the Church of Christ and the Seventh Day Adventist Church.  (Having both Saturday and Sunday worships covered!)  He loved the LORD, his family and his friends. He was a kind and generous soul who loved to smile. He liked going camping on the Oregon Coast, especially near Manzanita.  The family enjoyed many wonderful trips to Nehalem Bay State Park.  Some of his hobbies included, microbiology, learning new languages, collecting books and coins, rock hunting, star-gazing, singing, leading songs, playing chess with family, but especially his grandchildren. He was a loving father, grandfather, husband and brother; and he will be truly missed!

He was preceded in death by his first son Todd Dieter Nowak in 1974.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 49 years, Judy; his children, Angelique, Aaron, Caleb (Christine), Stephanie (Chris), Natasha (Kenji), and Jacob; grandchildren Joshua, Mason, Riley, Caden , Avianna, Gavin, Ronan, and Tessa Ann; aunt Anna Pedersen; sisters Reidun Waller, Brigitte Wilson, JoAnne Vandenberg, Rachel Olson, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members.

Memorial contributions in Dean’s honor are suggested to Hospice Friends, 302 E. Second Avenue in Ellensburg. 

Steward & Williams Funeral Home and Crematory of Ellensburg has been entrusted with caring for Dean’s family.  You are invited to leave condolences and order flowers for the family at www.steward-williams.com