Dean passed away at 5:40 a.m., in his sleep at his home after a long and courageous battle with prostrate cancer.

He was the son of Harry and Bea (Nimmons) Heyenga. On Aug 20, 1967, in San Bernardino, CA, he married Joan Candace 'Candy' Brown, who survives. On May 25, 1985, he married Judy M. Moore, who survives at the residence.

After WWII, the Heyengas settled in San Diego, CA and later moved to El Cajon, where he grew up through high school and college. The El Cajon home was a small 3 acre "farm" where the family raised chickens, turkeys and even a cow. The home was the focus of many family gatherings with uncles, aunts and hordes of cousins spending hours eating, visiting and playing horseshoes, billiards, basketball and ping pong.

A 1960 graduate of El Cajon Valley High School, he participated in basketball and tennis, and was elected Student Body President in his Senior year. He was also one of the leads in a production of "Good News". He entered the University of Redlands in the fall of 1960.

Facing both graduation with no clue what to do with his life and the draft, he enlisted in the Army and in the fall of 1964 went through basic and advanced infantry training before entering Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, GA. By the end of OCS, both the Army and Dean agreed that he was not officer magterial and he completed his enlistment as a Specialist at the Infantry School at Ft. Benning.

After being Honorably Discharged from the Army in 1966, he drove to Washington state to visit friends and worked a winter at a ski resort. He returned to Southern California to enroll in the University of Redlands teacher credential program. He married his first wife and began his first science teaching job in Blythe, CA.

They had twin daughters, Laura and Beth on Jul 20, 1969, the day of the first moon landing. The family moved to Oceanside, CA, where he began a 25 year career in the science department at Oceanside High School. He loved being a father to his daughters, building things for them, installing a tire swing, gardening and taking them fossil hunting.

At OHS, he was Science Department Chairman for many years, wrote a grant that funded on of the first biotechnnology high school programs in the area, coached girls basketball and Academic League teams and developed new scoence classses. Getting involved in local politics, he served several years as Chairman of the Oceanside Planning Commission and an unsuccessful run for City Council. After 25 years at OHS, he earned a multiple subjects credential and loved teaching fifth grade for two years.

After marrying his second wife, Judy Moore a counselor at the same high school, he later told friends that marrying Judy was one of the best moves he ever made. He and his new wife made a warm and nurturing home for his twin daughters, not only when the girls went to college, but also after they had independent lives. He and Judy traveled throughout the country and the world, enjoying many cruises together. There lives together were full of mutual adventures, shared projects, passion and lots of laughter.

After he and his wife retired from education, they moved to Trinidad, a small city on the coast of northern California. Both became involved in many community activities and he served as Mayor of Trinidad for six years. They both worked on the Trinidad Fish Festival, helped establish Westhaven Center for the Arts, taught in Trinidad Elemantary School's computer lab, raised money for the annual Fish Festival, made vegetarian chili for the Clam Beach Run, worked at Lions Club Pancake Breakfasts and helped fundraising for Trinidad's new library.

Circumstances led them tomove from Trinidad to nearby McKinleyville and eventually to El Cerrito in the San Francisco Bay area.

Living in El Cerrito allowed them to be close to their grandchildren, with whom they spent many happy hours. He also volunteered at local elementary schools, where he enjoyed helping students.

There will be no funeral or memorial services at his request. Ashes will be scattered.