DEAN ZEPHIER

Dean Raymond Zephier, 56, of Lake Andes, died Sunday, October 28, 2018 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Wagner. Funeral services were Thursday, November 1 at the White Swan Community Center in Lake Andes. Burial was in St. Paul’s Catholic Cemetery in Marty. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

Dean Raymond Zephier was born into this world on December 21, 1961 in Yankton. He becamethe6thchildborntoDeacon Edward Peter Zephier Jr. and Carmen (Wright) Zephier.

During his youth, he came to love fishing and the game of baseball. He became quite the pitcher. He also loved hunting for glass coke bottles, in which he turned in for money to get his favorite soda and ice cream. He was known as quite the sweet tooth.

When Dean was 16, his family relocated to Marty where he served as an altar boy at the St. Paul’s Catholic Church. This was the same church where his father served as Deacon.

His grandmother Melissa always called him the real Indian Boy, giving him the name “Dakota Hoksina”.

Dean was well known for being a talented artist. His artwork included painted murals, buffalo skulls; and pen, pencil and colored drawings. He traveled across the United States selling his artwork. He also taught himself to speak our Dakota language.

Dan’s greatest accomplishment in life was being a father to his one and only son, Skyler Zephier. He was also the grandfather to granddaughter, Janessa.

He will be missed for his great sense of humor, his artist talent, and his love for his family. His beautiful life will forever be cherished in the lives of 11 sisters: Altine, Pam, Mary, Kim, Melissa, Jane, Jean, Blanche, Georgianna, Dawn and Augustina; two brothers: Michael and David; one son, Skyler; granddaughter Janessa and 69 nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Edward Peter Zephier Sr. and Melissa Zephier; his maternal grandparents, Theodore Wright and Victoria Ramos; parents, Deacon Edward Peter Zephier Jr. and Audrey Carmen (Wright) Zephier and brother Garfield “Andy” Zephier.