John Deane, 67, formerly of Ringwood, NJ passed away on April 17, 2013 in Collierville, Tennessee. John is survived by Linda, his wife of 44 years, Greg Deane, Jennifer Keppler and her husband, Kris, and Jeff Deane and his wife Alesha. He leaves behind his precious grandchildren, Lindsey and Kyle Keppler and Alayna and Mason Deane.
John graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1969. He joined the United States Army Security Agency immediately after college. John served for 3 years and spent 1 ½ years in Okinawa. J ohn worked at Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison in Lodi for 33 years. He retired in October of 2011. In July, 2012 Linda and he moved to Collierville, TN where both their sons live.
John was born in Passaic, NJ. He grew up in East Rutherford and Paramus. He was the star pitcher of the 1964 Paramus High School baseball team. This team compiled a 25-2 record and won the Northern NJ Interscholastic League championship, the Bergen County tournament and the State Group IV sectional championship.
John continued his love of baseball by becoming actively involved in the Ringwood Little League program. He was president of the Ringwood Little League for several years and coached both his sons. He coached the Ringwood travel team 7 times and won the District championship 6 times. In 1992 he brought the 13 year old team to the Junior League World Series in Taylor, Michigan. He repeated this feat in 1994 with the Senior League World Series in Kissimmee, Florida. Only 8 teams from around the world played in each of these tournaments. Ringwood represented the Eastern United States both times.
John joined Porta's Karate-Do in Pompton Lakes. He enjoyed being a karate instructor and earned his 4th degree Black Belt. John played softball with The Sharks and the F.O.G. He also became an avid golfer and was a member of the Memphis National Golf Club.
Kenny "Tash" Tashian (1964)
Last week, John "Dizzy" Dean left us, and I'm quite sure he is in his "Field of Dreams." If you haven't seen the movie, you won't understand. I'll always remember him as a varsity ace, a key player on the 1964 State Champion Baseball Team, and a person with a friendly smile for everyone. Never, not once, did I ever see him as anything but "upbeat."
For those who knew him, you probably remember certain things about him that others didn't see or know. He was friendly, very funny, and also very private. For me, it was a look that he sported that spoke volumes without uttering a word. It was a look and a smile that said, "I know something that you don't know." Looking back, he probably did. I wonder what it was.
Louis Frank Sette (1964)
I had the pleasure of catching John every game he pitched (unless memory fails me) for four years in high school through many championship seasons of various sorts. John wore his cap just a tad sideways and once broke a bat (wooden) in bunting practice. But "Dizzy" was a nickname that we used for him with great affection and had little to do with the man inside.
Aside from his pitching skills, which included a sharp breaking ball, good control and live fastball that moved late and inside to righties, I remember John for his poise. John pitched a lot of close games, surely won nearly all of them and if, in fact, he lost any, I doubt he was at fualt.
As battery mates we had talks that no one else on earth shared. This gave me the chance to see the man in a way no one else saw. I would walk out to the mound when the need arose. Sometimes when a catcher gets to the mound and the pitcher picks up his eyes at him you can see the nerves. John was never like that. I always felt he was rock solid inside and that I was working with a young man the team could count on in whatever tough situation exised at that moment. John was never nervous and always mentally ready to pitch. He was a competitor and quiet leader. And he knew what to do with a baseball in his hand.
John was a young man of exemplary character. He was a fine fellow and I liked him a lot, quite a lot. Everybody did.