Dewey grew up in Milwaukee and entered the Naval Academy
right after graduating as the salutatorian of his high school class of
1952. On graduation from the Academy he
entered the U.S. Air Force spending six years between bases in California and
Germany. In 1962 he received a medical
discharge; leaving the service as a Captain, USAF.
While at the Academy, Dewey met Donna Mae Spurgeon on a
blind date and in early 1957 they were married.
On entering civilian life, they settled in Dallas, Texas where Dewey
worked for GEOTECH and subsequently at another research firm. In 1966 they moved home to Milwaukee where
Dewey joined General Motors’ Delco subsidiary engaged in radar systems
development. Later he moved to General
Electric Medical Systems, also a local firm.
Dewey was very much involved with his children, was president of his
church board, enjoyed landscape design, worked on “do it yourself” electronics
and acted as his own contractor in building the family home in Greendale,
Wisconsin.
Dewey died suddenly February 17, 1975 from complications
following surgery. Tragically, Donna passed away four days later after a long
struggle with cancer. All who knew Dewey
should know that he and Donna left a legacy.
Donna’s two sisters and their husbands stepped forward as guardians of
the four children. Sons Jeffery, Steven
and Randall and daughter Jennifer are all college graduates, successful in
their chosen endeavors, each with a family and a total of ten children.