To friends and family:
I set this up so that we can share photos and memories of Dean. His obituary and Ethan's eulogy are below.
I have set up a memorial for Dean at the Alzheimer's Association website if you care to make a donation. Any amount is appreciated. I saw first hand the horror of this disease and that an enormous amount of research is needed to find a cure or preventative. After going to the page, the second page has a "Memorial" space, please enter "Dean Milkes".
Here is the link: https://secure2.convio.net/adarda/site/Donation2?db=76255217&df_id=1740&1740.donation=form1
Alternatively go to their website and click "donation" button.
If you knew Dean, you know how involved he was with various organizations and charities and how much he appreciated peoples' involvment.
Joe Milkes (joe@milkes.com)
office 972-960-1881
cell 214-676-1881
MILKES, DEAN B., Age 90, died on January 23, 2008 after suffering from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was a resident of Silverado Senior Living in Plano. He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Marjorie Wolens Milkes, son and daughter-in-law Joe Milkes and Shelley Van Derven, daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl and David Moore, all of Dallas, and daughter Lynn Frank of Brunswick , Maine. Five grandchildren include Elizabeth Jerome, Emily and Kaela Frank, and Debi and David Milkes as well as numerous nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and mother Dora Milkes, and four brothers. Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, he adopted Texas, especially Corsicana after returning to the United States after serving with the Army Air Force in the Middle East Theatre during World War II. He spent his career at K. Wolens Department Stores, which operated a chain of retail stores primarily in North and Central Texas. He rose from buyer to President when the chain was purchased by Chromalloy American Corporation.
He also served as the Chairman of the Board of the holding company for Corsicana National Bank and Trust and oversaw its growth. His business acumen and abilities helped maintain the banks stability during Texas banking troubles of the 1980s.
Although a consummate retailer, his passion after his family, was championing the rights of the disadvantaged. He was active in United Way, the founder of Navarro County Community Action, and active in numerous other local charities. He served on Corsicanas Planning and Zoning Board and in other civic capacities. He was never hesitant to defend causes that gave the disadvantaged an opportunity to succeed and receive equal access.
A staunch Democrat, he served as Democratic County Chair. He also served on the Advisory Board of the School of Social Work at the University of Texas in Austin and received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters. Judaism was very important and an integral part of his life. He served as president and in many other capacities at Corsicanas Congregation Agudas Achim.
He will be missed by his family, friends and community. The example that he set throughout his life will continue in our hearts. He truly "Walked the Talk".
The service will be at 11 am on January 25th, Friday at Corley Funeral Home at 418 North 13th St in Corsicana. He will be buried in the Corsicana Jewish Cemetery located on West 3rd Ave. at 34th St. In accordance with Jewish tradition there will be no flowers. Instead the family requests donation to the American Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org) or charity of your choice.
Our heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Silverado Senior Living for their kindness and care. CORLEY FUNERAL HOME Corsicana, TX903-874-3755
ETHAN MILKES'S EULOGY
January 25, 2008
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Ethan Milkes, Dean’s great nephew. My grandfather and Dean were brothers, but Dean was always like a brother to my dad Julian and a second father to me.
I worked side by side with Dean (literally 3 feet away) for over 20 years. Can you imagine??? It all started when I came down to Texas right out of college for a job with K Wolens. Like most everyone else who grew up around the K Wolens family, Dean always had a job available for anyone who was willing to work hard no matter the color of their skin or the language that they spoke. Everyone was treated with the same respect and given a chance.
You always knew where you stood with Dean. Dean always said what was on his mind regardless of the consequences. He stood up for what he felt was right. But he would always relieve the tension in the middle of a heated discussion, by quipping some funny line like: Are you disagreeing with me…….well that makes you disagreeable! He always came up with the right words to defuse tensions. He was a people person through and through. If Dean liked you, he would bend over backwards to defend you, help you, or loan you money. To Dean, helping out his fellow man was the right thing to do….even if it meant helping a few Republicans from time to time.
Dean always pushed you to be a better person. Some people thought he was too tough or critical, but it was his way of bringing out the best in you. I can remember when I was beaming that we had just had a 50 % increase in sales. He’d look me right in the eye and with a straight face say: Is that all you did? I expected at least a 70% increase. I would always be angry with him, but deep down I understood that he knew I could have done better. I never wanted to disappoint him, so I always would try harder. Without Dean, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Family was one of the most important things to Dean. As a New York boy moving to Texas, it was quite a culture shock. But Dean and Sissie made it easy for me. I was included in everything that the family did from going out to the lake to the infamous Friday night dinners with Sissie, Marie and “Unc” Uncle Louis Wolens. I would sit at the table on Friday nights with Sissie’s great home cooking and listen to all the bantering between Unc and Marie and Dean. Dean would do his best to antagonize both Marie and Unc. After he stirred up the pot, he would turn to me with a big smile and wink. I loved those evenings as much as I loved working with him during the day.
Dean was a great person. He wouldn’t like me saying that as he always downplayed his accomplishments in business, charity and helping the less fortunate. But the bottom line about Dean was that he contributed in so many different ways to make this world a better place today and for the generations to come.
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Ethan Milkes, Dean’s great nephew. My grandfather and Dean were brothers, but Dean was always like a brother to my dad Julian and a second father to me.
I worked side by side with Dean (literally 3 feet away) for over 20 years. Can you imagine??? It all started when I came down to Texas right out of college for a job with K Wolens. Like most everyone else who grew up around the K Wolens family, Dean always had a job available for anyone who was willing to work hard no matter the color of their skin or the language that they spoke. Everyone was treated with the same respect and given a chance.
You always knew where you stood with Dean. Dean always said what was on his mind regardless of the consequences. He stood up for what he felt was right. But he would always relieve the tension in the middle of a heated discussion, by quipping some funny line like: Are you disagreeing with me…….well that makes you disagreeable! He always came up with the right words to defuse tensions. He was a people person through and through. If Dean liked you, he would bend over backwards to defend you, help you, or loan you money. To Dean, helping out his fellow man was the right thing to do….even if it meant helping a few Republicans from time to time.
Dean always pushed you to be a better person. Some people thought he was too tough or critical, but it was his way of bringing out the best in you. I can remember when I was beaming that we had just had a 50 % increase in sales. He’d look me right in the eye and with a straight face say: Is that all you did? I expected at least a 70% increase. I would always be angry with him, but deep down I understood that he knew I could have done better. I never wanted to disappoint him, so I always would try harder. Without Dean, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Family was one of the most important things to Dean. As a New York boy moving to Texas, it was quite a culture shock. But Dean and Sissie made it easy for me. I was included in everything that the family did from going out to the lake to the infamous Friday night dinners with Sissie, Marie and “Unc” Uncle Louis Wolens. I would sit at the table on Friday nights with Sissie’s great home cooking and listen to all the bantering between Unc and Marie and Dean. Dean would do his best to antagonize both Marie and Unc. After he stirred up the pot, he would turn to me with a big smile and wink. I loved those evenings as much as I loved working with him during the day.
Dean was a great person. He wouldn’t like me saying that as he always downplayed his accomplishments in business, charity and helping the less fortunate. But the bottom line about Dean was that he contributed in so many different ways to make this world a better place today and for the generations to come.
