Dean Allen Rehak, 88, a long time Ross ND farmer and rancher went home to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ on April 9, 2025. He passed at the Tioga Long Term Care Center with his family by his side.

Dean was born on September 13, 1936, at the family home in rural Mountrail County, to Anton and Dora (Hauskey) Rehak. He was the sixth of ten children, and grew up helping on the family farm. Dean attended school in a rural school house where he walked three-fourths of a mile, up hill both ways. He graduated from Ross High School in 1956. Dean and friends would sneak into the Ross School and play basketball when they were young. He was on the Varsity basketball team beginning in fifth grade and throughout high school, he once scored 45 points in a single game, which was way before the three point shot. He was also on a Class C State Championship basketball team. Dean was also a very good baseball player and was being looked at by the minor league baseball teams and was offered a scholarship to play basketball at Minot State, but decided to enroll in the Army.

Dean joined the Army on July 12, 1956. He enrolled in jump school and graduated as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne. He was stationed in Korea. Dean was honorably discharged from the Army on July 1, 1958.

He met Clara Rennerfeldt at a basketball game while in high school. While Dean was in the Army they wrote many letters to each other. After he was discharged from the army, Dean and Clara were married on October 26, 1958 in the Epping Lutheran Church, Epping ND.

Dean and Clara bought the family farm from his Dad, Anton and the family moved there in 1964. He worked hard as a farmer and rancher to provide for his family. Dean and Clara were awarded the Mountrail County Conservation Award in 1969. Dean and Clara retired from farming in 2004.

Dean loved to walk the coulees hunting when he was younger and walked them for pure enjoyment as he got older. On December 8, 1963, Dean bagged, with his bow, a 10 point buck that, at the time was ranked 9th in the Boone and Crockett Club and is still ranked today. He was often seen collecting aluminum cans along Highway 1804 as he walked.

One of the things Dean took great pride in was his juneberry patch. When he was still living at the farm one could rarely find a weed in the 23 rows of juneberry trees. He was very generous and offered free berries to family and friends willing to pick them. Dean sketched many animals, especially birds He also made many toys and Christmas ornaments out of wood. Photography was a passion of Dean’s—he took thousands and thousands of pictures of family, wildlife and scenery.

Dean also served as a school board member for Chilcot School in the late 1960’s and early 1970.’s.

Dean became a born again Christian in the early 1970’s. His relationship with Jesus transformed his life and he loved to share his love for his Savior. In past years, Dean attended the Assembly of God Church in Tioga. He was a former church president, deacon and Sunday School teacher. He read the Bible from cover to cover many times until his failing eyesight prevented him from reading. He loved spending time with his family and was a master at telling jokes and stories. Dean loved playing basketball, baseball and board games, and visiting with friends and neighbors. While in the Tioga Long Term Care Center, Dean loved assembling jigsaw puzzles, playing bingo and visiting.

Dean loved little children. Many children can probably remember Dean pulling a match box car out of his pocket to give to them. He loved his grandchildren and more recently his 17 great grandchildren (who adored him).

Dean is survived by his children Jimmie (Susan) of Williston, Elaine Ensrud of Grand Forks and Dennis (Rhonda) of Tioga; six grandchildren, Zachariah (Randi) Rehak of Des Moines IA, Natasha (Alex) Schaefer of Louisville KY, Brian Ensrud of Fargo, Kara (Brett) Carlson of Grand Forks, Jason (Rachelle) Rehak of Tioga, Jordon (Katrina) Rehak of Tioga; seventeen great grandchildren, Bradlee and Arlo Rehak of Des Moines IA; Levon and Lyle Schaefer of Louisville KY; Brooks Berg, Everley, Olivia and Freya Carlson of Grand Forks; Easton, Keilyn and Hadlee Rehak of Tioga and Kyler and Brielle Rehak of Tioga, adopted great grandchildren Angelika, Tobey, Miema and Nevaeh Rehak of Williston. He is also survived by brothers Howard (Janice) Rehak of Stanley, Delmer Rehak of Big Sandy, TX and sister Audrey Oldenburg of St. Paul, MN; sisters-in-law Edith Anderson of Ray, Eloise (Edward) Forde of Grand Forks and brother-in-law Earl (Lois) Rennerfeldt of Williston. He is also survived by 18 nieces, 19 nephews and several cousins.

Dean was preceded in death by his wife Clara; parents Anton and Dora (Hauskey) Rehak; infant brother, Anton Charles Rehak; brothers, Roy (Arlene) Rehak, Richard Rehak, Ervin (Edna) Rehak; sister Bonnie Frisinger, twin sister Doris (Sonny) Ogden; father and mother-in-law Carl and Margaret Rennerfeldt; sister-in-law Thelma (Leonard) Hagen; brothers-in-law Donald “Donnie” Cvancara, Hans Oldenburg and Owen Anderson and sister-in-law Dana Rehak. Also preceding him in death were nieces Judy Cvancara Baker, Debbie Rehak Mohlzan and Donna Rehak Schroeder, and nephews Dale Rehak and Clinton Rehak.

The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at the Tioga Long Term Care Center and the Tioga Medical Center for their wonderful care during his stay. We would also like to thank all those who made time to visit Dean during his stay in his apartment and his more recent stay in the Tioga Long Term Care Center.