08/16/2026
Sometimes we find encouragement from the strangest places at the most opportune time. We are going through some big changes at William Dean Chocolates which of course means risk and uncertainty. Part of the process was getting new PCs and I had to go to my old AOL account to recover a password. As I was looking around I found one of the last emails from my father. He would pass away in August 2007 from cancer. I was in the early stages of wanting to start a chocolate company. I had moved here and was working at a large company here in Florida and had risen pretty quickly so staying the course would have been a wise move. But my father, as he always had done encouraged the dreamer. He didn't question my decision as I think he knew my passion had been ignited. The men in our family have always been dreamers.
My grandfather was an undefeated welterweight when he gave up boxing to raise a family. My father, one of the most remarkable men I have known, brilliant had always wanted to be a doctor growing up. He was also a remarkable athlete being a large man in an era where that was unusual. He was All-State in Football and Track which enabled him to get a full ride to KU. Playing both sports was taxing on his time and in that era, if you were on an athletic scholarship, that was your first priority. He was asked to change his major as Pre-Med was too time consuming and so he did. Although he was a tremendous athlete, it never was his dream to play professionally. During the Korean war he toured Europe on the All Forces All Star Football and Baseball teams but still he didn't pursue it. He spent a few years after the war with no real direction, working to get by but not pursuing anything. His dreams of being a doctor were gone. His eyes would light up years later whenever anyone on our block had any kind of malady as he still had his medical journals in the basement and could be the "neighborhood" doctor.
It was meeting my mother that changed everything and the direction of his life. They were setup by my aunt/uncle on a blind date to a wedding. It was complicated by my brunette mother being described as a blonde delaying their finding each other that day. My mom describes it as the best day of her life and the wheels were immediately set in motion for a life together. She never went on another date with anyone else. My mother had been recently widowed and had a young son, my brother Terry, whose father went to the doctor with a stomach ache and died within weeks of cancer. My father didn't look at life as a series of roadblocks, a woman he loved having an infant son was not a hinderance but rather something he found joy in. He never thought of Terry as anything other than his son, and never saw a distinction between him and the soon to follow 4 siblings. He was now at the same crossroads my grandfather had faced where it was time to provide for a family. He knew his current job wouldn't work so he pursued positions with big companies. He interviewed with Ge**er Foods, a large, stable company. The interview went well which was no surprise if you ever met my father. It ended with a job offer but there was a catch, he needed to be married. The position was in sales with a lot of traveling and Ge**er didn't want someone single out all night. My father, as always quick on his feet asked if being engaged counted and they said yes (he got the job). He then proposed to my mother, something he was going to do anyway but this sped up the process (My mother hates this part but my dad swore to me it was true). So, like my grandfather, my dad's new purpose in life was his family and that never wavered until the day he died.
I am a junior, named after my dad and grandfather, it can be a weighty thing when you consider them so highly. It has been a part of who I am all my life (Even now as the company is named after my father, William and grandfather, Dean). My father cast a large shadow and he also had a larger than life personality, always the coach, friend, confidant, protector of those less fortunate. When he coached (and he coached me in every sport), he was always drawn to those who needed him most, those who had less ability and needed encouragement. We talked after games but he rarely coached me during them. He didn't see any distinction between myself and the other players, we were equal in his eyes when it came to his time coaching, they were like my brother Terry, just as important as his namesake. I've always treasured that about my father, how much my friends felt connected to him and his encouragement to them. So, as you can imagine pulling up his email yesterday and hearing my father speak to me for the first time in 19 years stirred something in me. It was the same calm, guiding hand I'd always known telling me I could do anything (and believing it). I choose to believe his words were not from the grave because I can still feel him now. Below is part of the email and while it will seem simple to some, I don't read words on a paper, I hear the man who spoke them, knowing exactly who he was and what those words really mean. I think our past loved ones guide us all the time, if we just listen.
"Sounds as though you are on the Chocolate express and have done a lot of research into what it would take to make chocolate making a success. I know you will give it your all and I would bet on your doing it right and well. I only wish my circumstances were different and I would consider joining you, but I had my run.
I thought of my Dad when you sent your email and talked about your plans. Dad loved to box and was nationally ranked as a welterweight. When I was born mom told dad she was taking me and leaving if he continued to box. Dad always told me I was worth giving up his dream for, but I have always wondered. Responsibilities and dreams sometimes are at odds.
We have always been proud of all our children and our love and prayers will be with you.
Hope to see you soon, keep us informed."
Love you, Dad
