Fredrick Dean Ames

Mr. Fredrick “Dean” Ames, passed away peacefully with family at his bedside on October 1, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. He was born on March 10, 1930 in Rydal, Kansas to George and Ruth Ames and is survived by his brother Ron Ames, Sister Nona Hedstrom, son Gary Ames (Teresa), grandchildren Brandon Ames (Giovana Veronezi), Katy Ames (Greg Stinnett) and Jeanie Rowley (Brian Rowley), great-grandchildren Cooper and Carter Stinnett, and Chad and Kaiden Rowley.

Throughout Fredrick’s ninety-five years of life he had a huge impact on his community and many people individually, but the impact he had on his family will not soon be forgotten and the legacy he spent his life building will proudly live on through the lives of his children and grandchildren.

Dean grew up with humble beginnings, living and working on a small farm throughout his childhood. One of six children, he told many stories of life growing up on the farm, his friendly companion-a work pony, the tractors he drove and worked on and what it was like living through the ‘Dust Bowl’. He and his family lived without the modern conveniences of electricity, running water, refrigeration, a shower and bath tub until 1941. Dean wrote that he remembered that being a “real transformation’ to their way of living. Growing up, Fredrick also saw the effects World War II had on his family, neighborhood and community. He watched as many neighboring farms were greatly affected by the loss of workers to the service, eventually seeing labor shortages effect the farms ability to produce. He and his family lived near one of the big Air Corps bases, Smoky Hill. Dean would often recall that it was then that his fascination with aircraft began, a love he would have and carry for the remainder of his life.

After attending High School in Concordia, Kansas in March of 1952 Dean was drafted for the Korean conflict but instead chose to join the Navy. It was there that he met and served alongside what would become his lifelong friend Dick Hebert. They both enlisted in the Navy on the very same day, April Fools 1952. Ater basic training he reported to Norman, Oklahoma where he completed aircraft training, then aircraft mechanics school. After his training the Navy moved him to Hutchison Kansas where he was able to travel home to Concordia on the weekends.

It was during this time that Dean would meet his lifelong partner and future wife, Fern Woodside. They were married on January 24, 1954. They would go on to spend an incredible sixty-six years of marriage, creating a family and legacy that would last generations. After proudly serving his country in the Navy for three years, he returned home to his wife and family in Kansas and went to work doing construction. Unsatisfied and missing his work in airline mechanics, he and Fern took a leap of faith and moved to Denver, Colorado where his Navy buddy Dick Hebert got him a job at an airline repair company that was looking for skilled and experienced employees. He went to work for Univair Aircraft in Commerce City making $1.35 an hour. The couple was able to purchase their first home and were well on their way to building their life and making their dreams come true.

With a longing to start a family Dean and Fern went through the exhaustive adoption process with Dean recalling that at times it was lengthy and frustrating. Despite the long process the couple was able welcome home their first child proudly, a son, Gary Dean Ames. Not long after Dean went to work for Continental Airlines as an airline mechanic. Later he would comment that he had never made so much money or thought he could have such a great job, and things really started to ‘look up’. With a desire to add to their family they decided to go through the adoption process once more and would welcome home their baby girl, Jeanette Kay Ames, not long after. Needing more room for their precious family they decided to have a home built in Montbello, Colorado, a newly built suburb of Denver. Although they loved the home they had built, the area lacked schools for their children and rather than bussing them a far distance to attend grammar school the family made the decision to move to Aurora several years later when the children were beginning to reach school-age. In their new home the kids were able to walk to school each day.

Dean began working for the airline union in 1972. Eventually Continental would move their maintenance department to Los Angeles and Dean began work for Frontier Airlines. He continued to work for the Union at Frontier, traveling often, recalling that this position came with a lot of stress. In 1996 Dean was able to retire, but those who know him would say he never stopped working. With a passion for being an advocate for those in need he continued to do work for the union. He also volunteered consistently for years at both the Wings Over the Rockies and Forney museums, putting his heart and soul into every project. Those that knew Dean would talk of the loyal and hardworking man he was and the passion he poured into every single part of his life.

Dean was a dedicated and proud father and grandfather. He was involved in every aspect of his children’s lives and didn’t stop there. When his son Gary had a family of his own, Dean and Fern were an integral part in their upbringing. They rarely missed school or sporting events and their home was filled with chaos and laughter from their grandchildren Katy, Brandon and Jeanie. In Dean’s spare time he enjoyed many hobbies including woodworking, mechanics, history and hunting and was known to his family as the man who could fix it all. These skills and pastimes he patiently and proudly took time to teach his children and grandchildren. He was an excellent teacher who greatly valued learning and education but above all else the value he found in his family was obvious based on the time and energy he invested in each one of them.

The impression left on those who knew and loved Dean will soon not be forgotten. Dean lived his life as a stand-up, compassionate and truly decent man full of character and integrity, dedicating his life to advocating for those who needed it. A loving family man and husband, he will be greatly missed. His family finds peace in knowing that he has gone home to be with his one true love, Fern, and in knowing that the life lessons, skills and love that was passed on to the following generations will keep his memory alive for years to come.

Dean Ames was preceded in death by his parents, sisters-Geraldine “Gerry” Johnson, Eileen Combs, Irma Brewer, his wife-Fern and daughter Jeanette. The family plans to hold a celebration of Life on March 14th in Aurora, Colorado at Horan & McConaty. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Cloud City Museum in his name.