Dean Ladusau

A Celebration of Life for Dean Ladusau, 96-year-old Enid resident, will be 2:00 pm, Monday, January 3, 2022, at Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home, with Pastors Glenn Dunn and Don Tines officiating. Burial with military honors provided by the United States Navy will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home. A visitation with family will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, Sunday, January 2nd, in the

Ladusau-Evans Chapel.

Dean Fletcher Ladusau was born to Harry and Ida Ladusau on October 19,1925, in Garber, Oklahoma. The family lived in Garber until later moving to Enid where Dean and twin brother, Don, attended Enid High School where they played on the 1943 state championship basketball team, graduating in 1943. The twins went on

to the University of Oklahoma and played basketball there until leaving school to enlist in the U.S. Navy, serving together on the U.S.S. San Francisco until they were discharged in 1946. After returning home from WWII, Dean acquired a position at Henninger-Allen Funeral Home driving ambulances and washing hearses; and it was here that his love for the funeral business was born. After a year-long apprenticeship, Dean attended the Cincinnati School of Mortuary Sciences, graduated and became a licensed funeral

director. He worked at Henninger-Allen for 23 years as a funeral director and ambulance driver. Eventually funeral home ambulance service was phased out due to regulations and requirements. He used to delight in telling many tales of his ambulance driving adventures from "back in the day." Dean and Jackie Thomas were married in 1946, and together they had daughter Michele Renee. In 1959, Dean married Mary Lou Hawkins, and together they had daughters Denise and Kelly. After leaving employment at Henninger-Allen, Dean partnered with Jack Evans, and in 1970 built and operated Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home, where he worked until the age of 88 when his health forced him to retire. Until his death, he had the distinction of being the oldest living funeral director in the state of Oklahoma. Dean and wife Mary Lou worked together at the funeral home until her death in January of 2000. He loved every aspect of the funeral business, but especially

enjoyed helping people through their most difficult time, and he never knew a stranger. In 1995, he was appointed by Gov. David Walters to serve on the Oklahoma State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. In 1999, at the age of 74, Dean was honored by members of the Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association with an award pin for being active in the funeral business for 50 years. In 2007, at the age of 82, Dean was named as the 2007-2008 Oklahoma Funeral Director of the year, which was an award that he was extremely proud of.

Dean was preceded in death by his wife Mary Lou, whom he was married to for 40 years at the time of her death in 2000; parents Harry and Ida, sister Jaunita, twin brother Don and brother Bill; grandsons Jeffrey Myers and Alexander Covarrubias; his much-loved and very spoiled dogs; Penny, Misty, Brandy, Abby,

and Lucky.

Dean is survived by his daughters Michele Nightengale and her husband Leonard; Denise Covarrubias and her husband Hector; Kelly O'Rourke and her husband Brian; grandsons Mike Myers and David Covarrubias, granddaughters, Stephanie Yeager and Jaime O'Rourke; great-grandchildren, Breanna Myers; Alexander and

Camilla Yeager; and Ava O'Rourke; great-great grandson, Landon Myers; nephews Tim and Tom Ladusau; nieces, Lee Ann Beaty and Kris Ladusau; cousin Ali Randell, and many great-nieces and nephews. Dean's family would like to thank the staff at Brookdale Assisted Living Center for the wonderful care he received there. He loved all of you dearly. We would also like to thank our "brother from another mother," Tim Stacey, who was dad's great friend and companion for many years. We love you, Tim.

Since Dean was very fond of his dogs, we would like to ask that any memorials you would like to make in his memory be made to the Enid SPCA; Furever Friends, or any local animal charity of your choosing with Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home serving as custodian of the funds. Condolences may be made and services viewed online at www.ladusauevans.com.