Beloved husband of Jinny Danzer (nee Ravenscroft) for 62 years. Cherished father of Mark, Steve. and John. Dear grandfather of Reese, Cole, Graeme, Jacob and Alyssa. Fond brother of Warren (Sheila) and Susan (Roger) Relfe; uncle, cousin and friend.
Dean Edward Danzer was born in St. Louis on January 2, 1936, first son of Mildred and John Danzer. Two younger siblings–a brother, Warren, and a sister, Susan– completed the family.
Dean grew up in East St. Louis, where he graduated from East St. Louis High School. He played accordion in a 3-piece band during high school.
Dean was a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, and got to meet and get autographs from his favorite player, Stan Musial, with some help and careful planning from his father, John.
The whole family was active in the Scouts, where Dean earned Eagle Scout and a Silver Award. He was cubmaster for a Scout troop at Watson School (Crestwood). He went on many adventures with the Scouts, culminating in a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico with his troop, the East St. Louis “Hard Hats”, so named for the white pith helmets they decorated and wore. This family tradition continues, with his son John, who is also an Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster for a troop of both boys and girls in San Jose, CA. His son and daughter have both spent exciting times at Philmont.
Dean earned a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University. After graduating he started a 38-year career at Monsanto, working first at the Krummrich Plant in Sauget, IL, and then at the Monsanto Central Engineering Department in St. Louis. He enjoyed tennis and played on the Monsanto baseball team. He also worked at the Soda Springs ID, Pensacola FL, and Decatur AL plants. With a meticulous mind and eye for detail, Dean worked on national and international projects for Monsanto. He also worked to clean up several Superfund sites in Texas. At the end of the project, he received a nicely framed color photo of the Motco site—an unusual memorial to hang on the wall.
Dean married Virginia (Jinny) Ravenscroft in 1963. As a couple, they loved the outdoors, spendings weekends and summers canoeing on Missouri rivers, hiking, camping, and visiting national parks. They packed up their 3 boys every summer for family vacation to see the country. In later years, they extended the range overseas, touring extensively in Europe. The sons remember these trips fondly and have continued the tradition of exploration throughout their own lives.
Dean was an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, Missouri, which he and Jinny joined in 1967. He was an early coach for the church baseball team and served as a Deacon and Elder. Dean’s remains are interred in the memorial garden at 1st Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood.
Dean was a devoted husband and father, a source of stability for his family, and always ready with a story. He will be deeply missed.
Many thanks for the kindness of his caregivers during his long illness: Pam, Shaye, Debra, Tiffany, Jeanette, and Kristi and our drivers Judy and Karen.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday September 16 at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood. 10 East Adams, 63122.
Memorial donations may be made to public media at https://www.stlpr.org, https://www.pbs.org, or First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood.