June 11, 1938-Dec. 28, 2017
Visitation: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, Bland-Brumback Funeral Home. Service: 11 a.m., funeral home. Burial: Pankey Cemetery.
Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, Dean E. Floyd made the final leg of his journey, peacefully leaving this life from his home in Cedar County. Some might call it a marathon, but for those of us who called him brother, husband, father, grandfather and friend, in the grand scheme of life, it is only a sprint. Dean leaves behind a diverse legacy as well as an even more diverse host of lives he enriched along the way.
He was the first-born son to Sherman “S.E.” Floyd and Velma “Ruth” (Todd) Floyd June 11th, 1939, on their farm in rural Cedar County. The family would later be blessed with another son, Larry Gene Floyd, Aug. 4, 1942. This was the beginning of the most precious and enduring relationship of Dean’s life, his unbreakable bond with his brother.
Throughout their lives they shared joys, challenges, heartbreaks and successes too numerous to share, but the bitter loss of their loving mother at the tender ages of 7 and 3 seared their bond in a way only they would know. Before her death, Ruth taught Dean Bible scriptures he memorized and was able to quote throughout his life. She assured he understood them and could apply them to his life as well. She taught him to swim in Cedar Creek which flowed at the edge of their farm to assure his safety, as well as having him baptized in that same water to assure the salvation of his soul. Ruth instilled a never-give-up attitude in Dean, that through the coming years after her death was only reinforced by his father and the challenges they faced. Some years later, Dean’s father S.E., married Freedia Irene Chambers-Fields. Freedia and her son Lecil Merle Fields joined the family and the five made a life farming along the Cedar Creek in rural Cedar County.
Childhood was brief in those times, growing up was done on the run, between chores that were important for survival. Before his father remarried, Dean would tell stories of spending an entire day washing the weeks dishes, eating burnt black fried potatoes and having beenie weenies so regularly, that as an adult, he said he would never eat a beenie weenie again as long as he lived. He also told of making the most of his minimal spare time with the occasional 5 cent movie pass, enjoying the outdoors, hunting and many ornery endeavors with his brother and cousins. He attended grade school in a one-room schoolhouse, and graduated from Stockton High School where he loved to play sports, especially football and baseball, which were a lifetime love of his.
After high school, Dean desperately wanted to serve his country in the armed forces, but was denied acceptance due to a minor medical condition. This was always a disappointment to him, and throughout his life he was extremely patriotic and conservative.
Dean worked hard to succeed, often working more than one job at a time, never being late or missing a day of work. He was proud to have worked for Boeing Engineering in Wichita, Kansas; AT&T across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri; International Shoe Company; Mid-America Dairy; Woods Supermarket; Fram; and his favorite place to clock in always was the family farm. His work ethic no doubt was impressed upon him by his father and his grandpa Todd. He also was a good carpenter, learning these skills from his grandfather, “Dutch” Floyd.
Along the journey, while working for an uncle at Sites Filling Station in Blue Springs, Dean would reacquaint and fall for his one and only true love, Janice May Smith. After a sweeping courtship, the two were united in marriage Sept. 6th, 1959. Just 406 days later, Oct. 16, 1960, a son was born, Randall Wayne Floyd. Another 1902 days later, Dec. 31, 1965, a daughter was born, Rebecca Ruth Floyd. Staying true to his mother teachings, Dean always was a spiritual person, believing in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, he and Janice were baptized side by side April 27, 1969 at the El Dorado Springs Church of Christ. He was an honest, hard-working, family-loving man, who tried his best to live by the golden rule and taught his children and grandchildren the same.
Dean provided well for his family. He assured they enjoyed years of trail riding horses, hunting, fishing, enjoying farm life, family, friends and pets. He loved to play pitch and chess, watch football and argue about politics. Dean was a loyal, trusted friend. He never met a stranger, always had a smile and a joke or two, along with as many stories as you had time to listen to. In his later years, his greatest joys were his many grandchildren and his loyal dog Blaze.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, S. E. Floyd in 2006 and Velma Ruth Todd-Floyd in 1946; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, George Lee Smith in 1990 and Bonnie Belle Fields-Smith in 2013; and a name-sake nephew, Larry Dean Floyd in 1989.
Survivors include his loving wife, Janice May Floyd of the home; a son, Randy Floyd of El Dorado Springs;
a daughter, Becky Melton and husband Barry of Dadeville; nine grandchildren, Mitch Todd and wife Jennifer and Tony Todd and wife Ashley, all of El Dorado Springs, Kara McBride of Phoenix, Arizona,
Randall Floyd of Stockton, Chad Melton and wife Lynelle of Liberty, Daniel Wosobo and wife Courtney of El Dorado Springs, Whitney Gentry and husband Terry of Buffalo, Tara Elliss and husband Adam of Springfield and Samantha Melton of Dadeville; 11 great-grandchildren,
Riley Boyd, Alayna Todd, Kole Todd, Alex Todd, Kyria Melton, Terry Gentry, Ellie Melton, Tyler Gentry, Brooke Wosoba, Trinity Gentry and Jennifer Wosoba; step-mother, Freedia Floyd of Community Care Center in El Dorado Springs; a dearest brother, partner and friend, Larry Gene Floyd and wife Betty of El Dorado Springs; a step-brother, Lecil Fields and wife Bobby of Horton, Mo.
Brother in-law – Lloyd Smith and wife Krista of Joplin; sister in-law, Ginger Sappenfield of Blue Springs; the Floyd, Chambers, Todd, Smith and Fields families; and
friends far too numerous to name, but none the less loved.
Online condolences can be made at www.brumbackfuneralhome.com.
