Dean Wilson, long time DS fan, dies at 40

Long time DS fan Dean Wilson died on October 19, 2002 in Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana at 10:10 p.m.  The cause is believe to be heart-related.  Dean had been hospitalized for some unspecified heart problems the Monday before.   He was doing poorly upon admission but had much improved and at the time I spoke with him, two hours prior to his death, he sounded much and expected to be released into a physical rehabilitation facility.   He spoke with others earlier that today and we all believed things were looking up.  He was 40 years old.  He leaves behind an older sister, Deanna, two nephews and his elderly parents with whom he lived and cared for.

Anyone wishing to send notes or cards to his parents please email me at nckersey@aol.com for the address.  His parents being elderly didn't have the wherewithal to get in contact with any of Dean's many long distance friends in fandom. ( I called his office today and found out the news after not being able to reach him. )

Dean Wilson came to his first DS convention in 1993 and attended many DS festivals and fan events afterwards his last being 2002.  He brought Jonathan Frid into Crawfordsville, Indiana twice for fundraising performances and Dean, one of the ultimate DS collectors, managed to maximize the fundraising efforts by providing many collectibles for purchase.   Dean might have had a weak heart but he had one hell of a big one.  Dean's life work as the Court Referral Program Director for Montgomery County, Indiana centered around guiding those who were trapped in substance abuse hell and finding a way to recovery.   Dean was forever taking classes to keep up on his knowledge and skills in all aspects of substance abuse issues; he taught classes, he counseled, he went to jails to visit clients, he went to jails to encourage people not to give up and was frequently rewarded, he told me, by their shaking his hand and thanking him for putting them there.  It forced them to attend programs they otherwise would not have.   It changed their lives.  He didn't kid himself into thinking he could save everyone; he did what he could with each individual and was living proof that one person can indeed make a big, big difference in another's life.

Dean spent the last few years of his life pursuing another passion - ghost hunting.  He joined a local group and investigated hauntings.  He loved it. He embraced spirituality and read and experienced all that he could on the subject.  I will miss him terribly and I know many others here will too.

Nancy (please see below)


Below is an editorial that appeared in the Crawfordsville Journal Review on October 22nd, 2004, two days after Dean died.  It is posted here with permission from the Journal Review.

Dean Wilson leaves behind legacy of helping families

By Kelly Trusty


Six years ago I met a man who was a catalyst for amazing change in Montgomery County's substance abuse prevention. As I was beginning my work at the A.H.E.A.D. Coalition, which was, at the time, a handful of grassroots activists, I made a point of meeting and talking with each active member about their stake in preventing drug abuse. One of those members was Dean Wilson, the Court Referral program director.

As I grew to know Dean and acknowledge him as "Mr. Wilson," I learned about his passion for helping people, his awesome depth of knowledge of substance abuse assessment, his concern for the availability of effective, professional mental health services for every person, his unfailing support of our community working together to prevent drug use and his dry and hilarious sense of humor.

I also learned about his experiences as the director of a family-strengthening program while living in Chicago. The program was Positive Steps, and it was one, he explained, that would be a perfect fit for our community's need to provide skills and strategies for youth starting down troubled paths, as well as their families.

"Eighty percent non-recidivism rate. That's what the program developers claim," Wilson explained about the program. I had no idea what recidivism meant, which he guessed easily by my blank expression. "Only 20 percent of the graduates get back into the same trouble. I would have never believed it if I hadn't run the program. It works. We need it here. There's got to be a way to get it here."

I invited Wilson to share more information about this program at the next A.H.E.A.D. meeting, which he did, and it started a chain reaction of incredible events.

At this same time, the first Drug Free Communities Support Program Grant application from the federal government became available. I had a little bit of grant writing experience, the coalition encouraged me to write a proposal to bring Positive Steps here, and the county agreed to administer it.

Wilson coached me as I put the application together. I was sure it was way beyond my capabilities. "You can do this. Just convince them we need it." His was the first office I visited, award letter in hand six months later. He shook his head and laughed, "Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it." Six years and $4 million later, I hear that phrase every time I put a new grant application in the mail, now a bittersweet reminder of my mentor and friend.

Since then, Positive Steps has served more than 700 families and it has been joined by a complementary program for highly resistive teens called Parenting with Love & Limits. Together the programs average about a 10 percent recidivism rate. Only 10 percent of participants get back into the same trouble up to a year after graduating. It does work, as Wilson knew it would, and it remains as one small part of his legacy of helping families take steps in positive directions.

As Red Ribbon Week begins tomorrow and continues through Oct. 31, I will consider the comment made by Kiki Camerena, the DEA Agent who died in the line of duty for which the commemorative week was designated. Kiki told his apprehensive mother, as he accepted a job with the DEA to stop drug trafficking in Mexico, "I'm just one person, but I can make a difference."

Dean Wilson lived this ideal daily, to the benefit of all of us in Montgomery County. This week I'll be wearing my red ribbon in Wilson's honor.

Kelly Trusty is executive director of A.H.E.A.D. Coalition. Her column appears Fridays in the Journal Review.    

This is a follow up to my post about Dean.  I am calling his office again tomorrow to inquire about where donations might be sent in his memory. Dean was involved with many organizations such as shelters for abused women and there is quite a list.  He also taught many classes as I said above.  I was in too much shock this afternoon to ask too many questions and I still can't reach his parents.  I will speak to the office manager tomorrow and post what I find out about where donations might be sent.

In lieu of all the sadness, I must share what I consider to be the funniest (and most revealing) Dean story of all time.  For my 40th birthday he was in town and Jonathan Frid was in town as well.   After meeting Jonathan and returning to Indiana, Dean called me up and said, "It was great to meet the great Frid but I didn't hear any f______g angels sing when he walked into the room."

That was Dean all over. I hope I don't get the forum closed down for alluding to a nasty word.  MB?

nancy

I don't think there's any worry of the forum being shut down.    And, actually, Dean's remark is hilarious. But then, that's the kind of guy he was - and he'll certainly be missed...

I don't think there's any worry of the forum being shut down.    And, actually, Dean's remark is hilarious. But then, that's the kind of guy he was - and he'll certainly be missed...

Oh good. I told Jonathan that story tonight when I called to tell him about Dean, and he really got a kick out of it too.

Nancy

I never knew Dean Wilson, but Nancy's story, which really made me laugh  , made me wish that I had.

My sympathies to all who knew him,

John

Dean spent the last few years of his life pursuing another passion - ghost hunting.  He joined a local group and investigated hauntings.  He loved it. He embraced spirituality and read and experienced all that he could on the subject.  I will miss him terribly and I know many others here will too.

Nancy (please see below)

Well said Nancy. I will miss Dean very much. I first met Dean in the spring of 1995. Originally from Indiana, he had moved to Northern Illinois for work related purposes. We had corresponded with one another via Sue Ellen Wilson's(no relation to Dean) Dark Shadows Classifieds. The Classifieds were a way from Dark Shadows fans to Buy/Sell/Trade for Dark Shadows related memorabilia between one another.

Anyway, I discovered Dean was living in the Hoffman Estates/Streamwood area, which is only 15 minutes from my house. We exchanged phone numbers via snail mail (These were pre-internet days) and agreed to meet for lunch. Dean had never been to a Dark Shadows Festival, and was and eager to see photos of all the stars, so I brought my albums along from the four Festivals I had attended up to that point. I remember we sat at that Chili's Restaurant for a couple hours as we looked through my albums and he asked me questions about the actors and Festivals. I convinced him that he should attend a Festival himself, and that August he and I roomed together at the Festival held at the Marriott Marquee in NYC.  He was hooked, and after that, started attending all the Dark Shadows related events. Over the years he assembled one of the more comprehensive collections of memorabilia known in Dark Shadows fandom. As had been reported, in the past couple years his interests changed and he began to sell of much of his collection. He told me he still loved Dark Shadows, but that his interest in collecting the memorabila had waned.

I have several funny anecdotes surrounding Dean, and would like to share one  here with you. From the photos you will see below, it is no secret Dean was a big guy. He never let his weight be an issue when it came to having a good time. After the Dark Shadows 30th ann. Celebration at the LeBar Bat in NYC, a small group of us went up to Seaview Terrace (T.V.'s Collinwood) for a couple days. We had a videocamera with us, and I remember being seated in one of the upper windows of the house and Dean yelling up to me in his Magda Racozzi voice from the Terrace below. He was yelling up something to the effect of "Quenteen, Quenteen, you keelled my seeester Jenn-eee. I set a curssssse on you" I in turn responded in something Quentin might have said. From this innocent exchange, "Sick Puppy Productions"and "Definitely Needs more Prozac Productions" were born. Over the next couple years we did some filming at Lyndhurst and Sleepy Hollow, making up the script as we went along. Dean wearing an oversized black gown type costume with beads draped around his neck, and sporting a black wig skipping between the tombstones of our makeshift cemetery singing "I Wanna Dance For You" in his Magda voice, is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I swear I thought i was going to pee my pants. From time to time we would talk over the phone and I would threaten him,telling him I was going to send a copy of our skits to his boss. He would reply with expletives I can't type here, and then we would both laugh.

Below are just a few photos I thought I would share. Top Left: The 1995 Festival at the Marriott Marquee. Top Right; Dean and Nancy 1997 Festival at the Marriott Marquee. Bottom Left; Dean belts out a karoyke song at the 1998 Las Vegas Festival. Bottom Right; The 2001 Frid Show. Myself, MsCriseyde, and Drksone with Dean.

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Peaceful journey, Dean

n

Below are just a few photos I thought I would share.

For a second there, I thought you were going to post some Magda shots, leaving me with no choice but to pound you. 

Dean was one of the first Dark Shadows fans I ever met online, and, while I'm not big on posting personal stuff, I can say that he will be missed.

Now I have to find someone else who can explain to me what the hell "Hoosier Values" are. 

That was a lovely tribute, Bob. You've inspired me to scan some photos which I will later tonight or early tomorrow.  Dean was a fabulous mimic.  For all the serious job he had in life, he was hysterical as your stories demonstrate.  I've heard him do those voices too.

He was also some dancer, believe it or not.  We referred to him as "Dean dean the dancin' machine."
He complained that he hated his first named because so much rhymed with it.

Nancy
 

I didn't know Dean as well as some people here but I will miss him.  Yes, his collection was impressive.  I think it was in 2003 that he had a Cabbage Patch Kid style doll dressed like Barnabas.  It was SO cute!  My thoughts are with his family.

Bobubas, after some time passes I'll point you to the spot where Dean wrote about your first meeting.    And thank you for the pictures.  At that karaoke party I was sitting next to him on the floor.  He said I bet you didn't know I can sing, but he had totally understated his talent-- he had a wonderful singing voice.

Unfortunately, I can't tell my favorite Dean story on the forums.  ( to Nancy)

RIP, my friend. 

I met Dean a couple of times, and we traded some Grayson stuff once (this is going back, what, 7 or 8 years now), but I never really knew him.

Many thanks to all of your for sharing your memories.  My condolences to his family and loved ones.

Steve

How sad.  My condolences and thoughts go to his family, and to his Dark Shadows family.

Gerard

I never met Dean at all. He shall be missed
terribly!   May his Soul Rest In Peace
 My Sympathies go out to his family.
                    Love Anne
           

I never was introduced to Dean, but I did have the pleasure of looking over his extensive collection of DS pics a couple of Fests ago, and it was indeed an impresive memorabilia collection. How I wish that I had heard his Magda voice.

My condolences to his family and friends.

Bette