Obituary from the Delta Junction, Alaska "Delta Wind" newspaper, dated February 28, 2010, page 2:

Dean was a son, brother, father, uncle, grandfather, friend, hunter, fisherman, trapper, wildlife viewer, logger, builder, entrepreneur. He loved his family, friends, nature, music, and life. Dean William Cummings was the first born and beloved son of Dean and Vi Cummings. Dean was born December 30, 1951 in Anchorage. Dean and Vi were living in Mentasta at the time.

In 1955, Dean, Vi and family moved to their sawmill homestead on Cummings Road and Dean's home was the Delta Junction area for the rest of his life. Dean loved and was inseparable from his brother Jim and two sisters Sue and Jeanne. They were very close to each other while growing up at the Mill.

Dean went through his entire primary and secondary education in Delta Junction. Dean was elected to the Delta Fish and Game Advisory Committee at the age of 18 because his passion, intelligence, and willingness to get involved in Alaskan wildlife management were recognized. He served on the committee for most of the rest of his life and was recently reelected to another three year term in December.

After graduating from high school, Dean left his beloved Delta to attend college for several years where he majored in biology to pursue his passion for nature and conservation. However, family and Alaska beckoned him home before he graduated.

Dean returned to Delta and began working with his father Dean and brother Jim at their sawmill business. Cummings Sawmill developed a reputation for producing high quality dimensional lumber and furs.

On September 20, 1980, Dean married Theresa Kindy. Dean and Theresa had five children, Ryan, Shannon, Jesse, Arthur, and Patsy. He loved to take his kids and their friends fishing, pick berries, watch his kids participate in sports, and he attended all of their games. Dean has three grandchildren. Kylie Kindy, 5; Olivia Morley, 3; and Owen Dean Morley, 5 months.
Dean has seven nephews and one niece that he loved to take hunting and fishing and watch them play sports including James, Jared, and Craig Cummings; Joseph and Brandon Jenkins; and Chad, Donny, and Danielle Bunselmeier.

Dean, his father, and Jim eventually expanded their sawmill business into cabin and home construction, specializing in building in remote locations, such as George Lake; Summit Lake; Quartz Lake; and Prince William Sound. In 2000, Dean and Jim started Golden Eagle Outfitters to combine Dean's dream of developing an ecotourism business with Jim's passion for flying. Dean was the President of Golden Eagle Outfitters.
In April 2006, Dean who was single at the time met Laurie Franks who he said was his Very Significant Other. Dean and Laurie loved spending time together outdoors watching wildlife, gold panning, and ice fishing. Laurie played a major role in Dean's cancer treatment and care.

Dean was diagnosed with a very aggressive and uncommon form of cancer on October 9, 2009. Dean fought the cancer with a positive attitude and lots of support from his friends and family. Dean returned to Delta on February 12, 2010, where he continued aggressively fighting his cancer taking a chemotherapy treatment. Sadly his condition deteriorated rapidly and he died Friday, February 19 at 7:50 a.m. surrounded by many of his family.

Dean was buried on the Cummings property off Nistler Road in a private ceremony. His gravesite is on a hilltop with a spectacular view of his beloved mountains, where sharp-tailed grouse dance in the spring, where sandhill cranes fly over in the fall, and where he will remain close to his family. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a cause of your choice.