It Happened in Crawford County: Dean Sipe and his service to agriculture and the community
Dean R. Sipe is the child of Merrill and Arlene Roberts Sipe. Dean attended the Nevada and Mt. Zion schools and then Wynford where he graduated in 1971. He started playing piano in the third grade because he wanted to see the keyhole-shaped arch in the living room of his teacher, Bess Mutchler. He also wanted trumpet lessons just to sit beside his classmate Judy Ritterspach.
His family felt if you start something, you don’t quit; his trumpet the exception. His dad got tired of the hogs fleeing from the sound of Dean playing it outside. He also remembers his character as Mortimer in “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Judy Ritterspach played the lead and when they kissed, his braces got caught. He liked history and the competition to be the smartest in class. But it comes back to Judy, again — she was the smartest.
Dean enrolled at the Ohio State University and graduated in 1975 with degree in ag economics. He started with horticulture classes but decided in 1975 he wanted to farm with his dad. Dean retired after 44 years when he was 66 in 2019. During that time, Dean also worked for Fred Suter installing draining tile and constructing grain bins.
Fred taught Dean how to be confident in whatever he wanted to try. Dean also went to Haiti to construct a grain system for the Haitian government, a mission trip to Ecuador with “Men for Mission” and the Methodist Emmaus Walk — a pivotal experience in his life. They had silence for two days and no phone so they could concentrate on the spiritual life.
Dean was co-owner of the franchised rights for “Weed Man” in Georgia and North Carolina. Dean was the vice president and part owner of the D & K Franchise Sales Inc. from 2000-2022. Later, Dean acquired his adopted family because he was wearing his "farmer hat" while picking up meds for his mom. John Kamenik, a pharmacist at Kroger Bucyrus, was surprised to learn that Dean was a farmer. They formed a friendship together with the eight brothers of Kamenik and their sister.
Dean says, “they adopted me.” Now he's enjoying John, Steven Edwards, Joshua Uhl and their five kids. Dean has enjoyed helping restore John’s home in the Mansfield-Ashland area. Currently, Dean is also on the board of directors for Kamenik Brother’s Farms LLC, Ashland, where they farm around 10,000 acres.
Dean is member of Wayside Chapel that was founded by Reuben Leuthold and his mission to evangelize. Dean has played the piano and organ there for over 50 years from 1971 to 2023. He also played piano for “The Sounds of Brass” trumpet trio with classmates John Clime, Roger Ransom and his Bucyrus friend attorney David Cory. They played for weddings and other occasions; it was a special time of their lives.
Dean also gave piano lessons to several students. It was fun; he enjoyed it. Dean’s piano was a 7-foot conservatory grand. When Kirk Ransom put his hand against it, Dean didn’t say anything, but when he was finished with the lesson, he gave him a cloth to wipe his handprint off. He had another student who actually fell backwards off the piano bench. Dean has also played for 125 weddings.
Dean served as a Tod Township trustee for 26 years, retiring in 2014, was president of the Crawford County Township Association, county representative to the Ohio Township Association, and on the board of directors for Wyandot East Fire and Ambulance District for several years. He was the chairman of the Crawford County Republican Party for six years and Republican of the Year in 2018. He also served on Crawford County Red Cross Board and Public Health Board for 12 years.
In addition, he restored the Robert’s house that was built in 1884 near Lemert. Dean has traveled to Sweden twice, Scotland, England, Germany, Italy, Israel, Egypt and Ecuador. Most importantly, he says, he’s learned to honor and praise His Savior Jesus Christ.
Dean's family has quite the military legacy. Stories about Henry and Grace Sipe’s sons were detailed in the “Liberty Remembers” book published by the Crawford County Genealogy Society in 2002. Cloyd enlisted Dec. 6, 1945, serving in the Occupation Troops in Japan. Earl served at Camp Peary, Philippine Islands, Milne Bay, Camp Endicott, Hollandia, Manila, and Corregidor working in Naval Construction. Eugene served during the Korean War in the U.S. Air Force in Alaska as a Radio Operator Airman 1st Class.
Guy entered the Army Infantry and served at Camp Wheeler GA, Fort Lewis WA, Southern Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Camp Seymour in Australia. Lester served in the Army in the Korean War. Merrill “Bill” joined the Civilian Conservation Corps as a truck driver. He enlisted in the Army and served in the 24th Armored Engineer Battalion, 4th Armored Division, and the 3rd Army under George Patton in Normandy, France, Rhineland and Central Europe. Raymond joined the Civilian Conservation Corps with his brother Bill. He entered the Army and served stateside as an auto mechanic. Robert “Bob” entered the US Navy Nov. 1, 1942, and served on the U.S. Yorktown CV10.
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This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Dean Sipe and his life of dedicated community service
