Sad news from Pierre today

If you hadn’t heard, long time telecommunications lobbyist Greg Dean passed away suddenly this week:

“Kind of hard to believe,” Schoenbeck says. “You can even see in the hall when I came in this morning. There’s a real damper. It’s sort of top of mind with everybody here. It’s a community here, amongst the legislature and Greg was a really fine member of it.”

Bill Van Camp is a fellow lobbyist and friend of Dean’s. He says Dean was a straightforward and honest guy.

“Easier to deal with, even when you were on the other side of the aisle from him,” Van Camp says. “Just a hell of a great guy. A great dad. A real pillar of the Pierre-Fort Pierre community and he will be sorely missed. Just a great guy.”

Read the entire story here.

14 thoughts on “Sad news from Pierre today”

  1. Greg was always 1st class in everything he touched. Worked with him on a number of legislative issues over the years, and we were on the same team working on ballot measures many times. Also 25 to 30 years ago we played baseball against each other and he was always a great competitor and at the same time a great sport. South Dakota and many of us are better people because of our relationship with Greg. May he rest in PEACE!

    1. What baseball teams were you guys playing for, Mike? Greg and I are both alumni of the Wessington Springs amateur team, but I don’t know whether he went on to play for anyone else.

  2. Greg’s honesty and enthusiasm was real and addictive to all in the hallways of the capitol. I doubt that any lobbyist was ever more respected than him, and I doubt that another will ever be able to meet the plateau that he set.

    My deepest sympathy to his family and all those he touched throughout his life.

  3. My condolences to his family. I went to school with Greg and he was always……always a great guy.

    1. Did you go to elementary school with him? (If you say yes, I’ll probably be able to guess your last name.)

        1. I think Greg was a sophomore on the Wessington Springs High School football team that went undefeated in 1979, and I think you were a junior.

          If our paths ever cross outside this blog, I’ll explain why I’m anonymous here.

  4. One of the nicest men I have ever had the opportunity to work with. Prayers for the family.

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