Dean W. Roby

Dean W. Roby, 95, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2020, at Florence Nursing Home in Marengo. Dean was born on December 14, 1924, to Leon and Frieda (Ackerman) Roby on a farm just outside Huntley, Illinois on Ernesti/Union Road in a house that Frieda called the “ice house” (the farm today is a subdivision, north of Huntley). Dean was named Willis by Leon, and Dean, by Frieda- and was best known as “Boots”- a nickname given him by Leon as he would wear Leon’s boots when he was a toddler. He did not like the name Willis (Willie the actor Sutton, was his excuse) so Dean W. Roby is the name he used. Dean had two older brothers, Harold and Herbert; Frieda had 3 boys in diapers! Two sisters were added to the family, Arlene (Warrington) and Marilyn (Thompson). Harold died when he was 13, in 1922, Leon in 1974, Frieda in 1977, Arlene in 1994, Herbert in 2005. Leon moved from farming in the Huntley area to the McQueen farm located between Pingree Grove and Elgin. Herbert and Dean farmed with him. Dean and Herb also worked for their uncle on their grandfather’s farm near Belvidere, where Frieda’s father homesteaded when he came from Germany. They would drive their Fords, after the day’s work, to Belvidere and to Rainbow Gardens to roller skate. That is where Dean met Betty Bruyn. They were married at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Pingree Grove on September 19, 1945 by Rev K.H. Rozak (his first wedding ceremony at Pingree) and spent their honeymoon in the Wisconsin Dells. Dean worked as a farm manager for Markheim Farms on Empire Rd near Lily Lake and in 1947 moved to a Latimer farm near Udina, where he dairy and beef/grain farmed 300 acres until 1967. Dean and Betty built a house on Shady Lane near Elgin and he drove for Liberty Trucking. In 1978 they bought a farm on Vermont Rd near Woodstock. When they left the farm in 1996, they moved to a home on Prairie St in Hampshire. Dean and Betty had four children: Pamela J. (James Nelson), Dean L. (Fran), Michael L., and Greg W. (Julie). There are 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren. Dean and Betty loved dancing at the Blue Moon. They enjoyed going to stock car races at Rockford, Blue Island, and Santa Fe locally, and went to many stock car races in Milwaukee, Michigan, Daytona, and Talladega- always hoping for a Ford to win. Dean had a mechanical aptitude and greatly appreciated his Ford’s, Mercury’s, and Lincoln’s, and International Harvester tractors. Dean and Betty taught their children how to roller skate and enjoyed the family skate night at the Fox Roller Rink in South Elgin. Family gatherings with his children and grandchildren were his greatest joy and Dean would do all he could to help them all. Dean was confirmed at Trinity in Huntley and has continued as a faithful member of the LC-MS at St Peter’s in Pingree Grove where he served as assistant financial secretary for a number of years, Zion in Marengo, and now a member at St. Peters in North Plato. Betty fell asleep in Jesus in April, 2011. Dean moved to the Florence Nursing Home in Marengo near Dean and Fran who have graciously attended to his care. Grandchildren, Deborah Bishop, Rev Mark (Jane) Nelson, Deanna (Lou) Vorgias, Douglas (Kelly) Roby, Glen (Greta) Nelson, Michael J (Kim) Roby, Kerry (Patrick) Adams, Amy Roby, Daniel Roby, and Nicole (Doug) Bladin; 16 great-grands, Justine, James, Lillian, Abigail, Eva, Krista, Rebecca, Kayla, David, Dean, Karsten, Samuel, Elizabeth, Hannah, Brooklyn, and Calley; and 2 great-great-grands; Aubriella (Michael J granddaughter), and Henry (Krista’s boy). Visitation will be on Friday, Sept. 11, from 9:30 to 11 AM at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 43W301 Plank Rd. Private graveside services will follow at 11 AM in the North Plato Cemetery.

Dean W. Roby

December 14, 1924 - September 6, 2020