Ronald Dean

Ronald Dean—tenacious, generous, and unfailingly loyal—passed away on December 4, 2025. He was born on April 7, 1945, in Gateshead, Durham, England. Ron and his sister, Audrey, were lovingly raised by their mother, Catherine, following the unexpected death of their father, Robert, when Ron was just two years old. In 1950, Catherine remarried, and the young family emigrated to Cowley, Wyoming, before eventually making their home in Salt Lake City, Utah.

With both parents working full-time, Ron found his share of mischief in the streets before discovering a sense of purpose at the Kiwanis Boys Club. There, he gained a sense of belonging, steady work, and a mentor who introduced him to hunting and fishing—an introduction that would shape the course of his life.

Ron attended South and East High Schools, where he shot on the rifle team and played guard on the football team, until the schedule began to interfere with the hunting season.

After graduating from South High, Ron went to work at Central Office Supply as a driver and installer. It was there that fate brought him into the office of Joe Jacob. Joe, who had lost a son, and Ron, who had lost a father, formed a bond that deeply influenced Ron’s character, values, and work ethic. Joe helped shape him into the fair, honest businessman he later became. In tribute to that meaningful relationship, Ron gave his youngest son Joe’s name.

Growing tired of office supplies and selling stamps, Ron began an apprenticeship in an ornamental iron shop before deciding to strike out on his own. In 1971, trading a Tote Gote for his first month’s rent, he founded The Iron Anvil in a small wooden-floored house that he nearly burnt down. After selling that business, he partnered to launch Cottonwood Steel in North Salt Lake. When investors and partners eventually forced him out, Ron started again. His third venture, Structural Steel—founded in 1976—became the one that endured. Nearly fifty years later, it stands as a respected industrial fabricator throughout the Mountain West.

In 1967, Ron met a “knockout,” Connie Hallas, and six months later, on May 4, 1968, they were married and later sealed in the Salt Lake temple in 1997. Connie often joked that she never really had a choice—Ron simply kept showing up. Together, they raised three sons, whom Ron took everywhere with him. In the past 15 years, all three boys worked at his side, helping to build and sustain the business that Connie teasingly called “his only mistress.”

He was a crack shot with a rifle and lightning-quick with a 20-gauge. He was also a student of Western and military history. He supported the Boy Scouts, Save The Salt, his church, and countless wildlife and habitat organizations. Most of all, he loved supporting missionary work, ultimately helping more than 50 missionaries over the years. Ron was a founding member of the USFA and became one of only two lifetime members of the Ogden Pineview Yacht Club. At age 75, he even set a 219-mph land-speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in a Corvette he built with his sons and friends.

Ron hunted caribou in Canada, bears in Idaho, elk in New Mexico, doves in Argentina, prairie dogs in South Dakota, and pigs from a helicopter in Texas. He traveled to Alaska more than 20 times to fish. Among all the places he ventured, his favorites were Chalk Creek and South Dakota. His annual pheasant hunt in South Dakota became a cherished 30-year tradition—one he kept faithfully until Connie needed him home.

Above all, Ron loved his family. He adored his grandchildren, teasing them endlessly, pulling more than a few loose teeth, and showing up for every event he possibly could. He passed down not only his passion for the outdoors but also his values—and the belief that with hard work and integrity, a person can truly make their own luck. When times are hard, may we remember his resilience, his warm smile, and that unmistakable, gregarious laugh.

Ron is preceded in death by his father, Robert Dean; his mother, Catherine Dean; and his sister, Audrey. He is survived by his three sons—Brian (Monica), Shane (Allison), and Taylor (Mandy)—and by nine grandchildren: Lexi, Sage, Berlin, Logan, London, Jake, Nash, Wyatt, and Nora.

A viewing will be held on Friday, December 12th, from 6-8 pm at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary, 727 N. 400 E. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 13th, at 10:30 am with a viewing prior from 9-10 am at the LDS Church, 1461 North Main Street in Centerville, Utah.

Services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of Ron’s obituary page where condolences may be shared at www.lindquistmortuary.com