Dean Blau

SUN PRAIRIE – Dean Anthony Blau, age 82, died unexpectedly on July 4, 2015, at Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg.

Dean was born on May 12, 1933, on the family farm in Franklin Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin, to Anton and Merie Mohelnitzky Blau. He attended St. Luke’s Catholic School in Plain, graduating from 8th grade in May 1947, and was later a member of the Sauk County Male Chorus.

He came from a fun-loving musical family who entertained at weddings, parties, picnics, talent shows and amateur contests at county fairs, or at any occasion at all. Just being together was a signal to bring out the accordions and guitars and let the fun begin. They were often joined by other musicians in the neighborhood. From 1953 to 1954, the Blau family performed nearly every Sunday on the WRDB radio station in Reedsburg on a program called the “Blau Family Hour.”

While playing accordion for a neighbor’s wedding, Dean, age 18, met his future bride, Beatrice Ringelstetter, age 14. Beatrice, his “beautiful lady in blue,” was a table waitress at her cousin Mary Prem’s wedding reception. This date was so meaningful to them that every year on June 19, they celebrated what they called their “met-a-versary.”

Dean proudly served in the United States Army from June 1954 to June 1956 during the draw down of the Korean Conflict. After basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Dean and his brother Duane served together as cooks at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska. There they formed a band called the Midnight Suns. Dean’s recent military wish was to take an Honor Flight to Washington D.C., but sadly, that was not to be.

After completing his military service, Dean and Beatrice were married on October 25, 1956, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in East Bristol in Dane County, Wisconsin. They were looking forward to celebrating their 59th wedding anniversary.

Dean’s early career included working on the home farm; and working as a hired man on his Grandma Blau’s farm (operated by his uncle George Blau) and at the Joseph Lechner farm near Plain. From November 1953 to June 1954, he was a milk truck driver and helper in all phases of cheese making at Suemnicht’s Cheese factory at Plain. From June 1956 to November 1957, he worked as a mason tender at Kraemer Brothers Construction of Plain and was on the construction crew of the new school building in Baraboo. He and his brother Duane had a brief but interesting stint as salesmen for the Rodney Sewing Machine Company.

Dean found his true calling in life when, in December 1957, he was hired as a meat cutting apprentice for Red Owl Food Stores at their University Avenue location in Madison. In September 1962, he was promoted to Market Manager and was transferred to a Red Owl store located on North Main Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In 1964, he managed a new location in the South Town mall. While living in Fond du Lac, his family were members of St. Joseph’s Catholic parish.

In April 1972, Dean decided to strike out on his own and purchased a small meat market, the “Polar Pantry,” from L. Gordon Ellis in Waterloo, Jefferson County, Wisconsin. He renamed this new venture in entrepreneurship, “Dean’s Meat & Locker Plant.” The building was located at 174 North Monroe Street. Dean and his family operated the meat business until November 1995 when it was purchased by Ray Teml.

In Waterloo, Dean was an active member of the Lion’s Club, the Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, the Knights of Columbus, 1977 chairman of “Enjoy Waterloo Day,” and a member of the Maunesha Minstrels Folk Group, which performed at Saturday evening Masses at St. Joseph Catholic Church, where Dean also served as usher. Many 4th of July festivals were spent working at the Waterloo Fireman’s Park providing meats and supplies.

Dean enjoyed a good joke and loved making people laugh. He dressed up as the preacher in many mock weddings and “blessed” the grand opening of a bridge on East Madison Street in Waterloo with “Monk Troll” as his side-kick.

Since the 1970s, Dean’s hobby was genealogy. This hobby took him to many places in Wisconsin, New York, and Canada. A highlight of his life was when he traveled to the “old country” in 1982 to see the villages of his ancestors in Gleissenberg and Prosdorf in Bavaria, Germany.

While living in Sun Prairie, Dean worked as a meat cutter in various meat markets from 1989 to 2007, including Jenifer Street Market in Madison; Rothamer Meats near Cottage Grove; Main Street Market at Stoughton; Sentry in Lake Mills; Schultz Market in DeForest.

For several years, he had made a valiant effort in his struggle against COPD and congestive heart failure. Dean and friend Mike Endres, known by the nurses as “the boys,” attended “dance class” twice a week at St. Mary’s pulmonary rehab center in Madison in the “Breathe with Ease” program. The Diner was a frequent stop for sustenance on their way home.

Dean was a very patriotic man, so it was fitting that he died on July 4, 2015. He took his last breath in the late evening just as fireworks could be seen exploding outside his window.

Dean is survived by his wife of 58 years, Beatrice Ringelstetter Blau, and their four children: Debra (Georg) Blau of Hoechstaedt-Donau, Bavaria; Randall (Maureen) Blau of Sparks, Nevada; Diane (Michael) Barberino of Waunakee, Wisconsin; Brenda Blau of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Survived by five grandsons: Andrew Quamme of Puyallup, Washington; Douglas Quamme of Waterloo, Wisconsin; Daniel (Cassie) Blau of Reno, Nevada; Nathan Blau of Sparks; and Adam Barberino of Waunakee; and one step-granddaughter Jackilyn (Andy) Steinberger of Avondale, Arizona. Dean was looking forward to the birth of his first great-grandchild.

Survived by siblings: Duane (JoAnna) Blau of McFarland, Wisconsin; Jacqueline (Alton) Eckhardt of San Antonio, Texas; Conrad (Marjorie) Blau of Waunakee; Judith (Robert) Ott of Slinger, Wisconsin; and Alan (Barbara) Blau of Fond du Lac.

Survived by in-laws: Bernice, Richard (Audrey), Mary, Mary Jane, Margaret, Marilyn, Marlene, and Kathryn Ringelstetter.

He is further survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved grandson, Collin Barberino; siblings Harlan (Marilyn) Blau, Theodore Blau, and infant sister Audrey Blau; in-laws Mark (Lillian) Ringelstetter, Lawrence (Dorothy) Ringelstetter, Irene (Paul) Durst, Victor Ringelstetter, Mary (Roy) Schroud; and Louis, Edward, George and Leonard Ringelstetter.

The family would like to thank Dr. Nosal, PA McGarry, and his “guardian angel” Dr. Phelan. Special thanks to the nurses at St. Mary’s “Breathe With Ease” pulmonary rehab program.
A Mass of Christian Burial and full military honors will be held at 11:00AM on Thursday July 9, 2015 at ST. ALBERT THE GREAT CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2402 St. Albert Dr, Sun Prairie, WI, with Msgr. Terrence Connors presiding. A visitation will be held from 9:00AM until time of Mass on Thursday at the church. Burial will be at St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Waunakee at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: St. Mary’s Breathe with Ease program, St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, the Wounded Warrior project. To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com