It is with profound sadness that we must report one of the earliest members of our Guns Save Life family has passed away.
Guns Save Life Director Dean Rothermel slipped away early September 30th at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis following a valiant, near-year-long battle with multiple myeloma.
Dean Rothermel was a true gentleman and exceptional patriot. He was a remarkable man among remarkable men, and a tireless advocate for civil rights and freedom and a great friend.
We’re reminded of what George Patton once said: “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
Indeed, let us give thanks to God for sending us men like Dean Rothermel.
UPDATE:
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Broadlands, with Pastor John Sharp officiating. Burial will be at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at Kirby Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St., Homer, and also an hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, American Cancer Society or the National Rifle Association.
My thoughts and prayers are with Sharon and their families. Dean was truly a wonderful gentleman. He was a big part of our lives. He will be greatly missed. I will remember him as he is in the picture above, healthy, smiling, and full of life. God bless.
Dean was my friend; we attended the same church. Two of his passions were guns, which he shared with all of us at Guns Save Life, and singing, which he shared with his church and community through the church choir and appearances in community theater and such. One of his regrets upon getting sick was losing his singing voice.
I’m sad to see him go, but I’m glad he’s no longer suffering. I’m pretty confident that he’s singing again now in Heaven.
My prayers are for God’s comfort for his family and his many friends. I will miss him, and I thank God for the opportunity to have known and worked with him these many years.
Met Dean when I started attending GSL meeting in Rantoul after moving back to Illinois. Started hanging out at his shop and really enjoyed his knowledge and humor. Dean rest in peace. You are now completely free of pain and in the presence of the Lord. Watch over us from far above until we meet again for eternity. To your family, I ask the Lord to watch over them and to shower them with Grace.God speed my friend.
Rest in peace, Dean.
I’ll miss Dean, he sold me about 3/4 of the guns I own, and taught me a lot while I hung around the shop on some of my days off. He also helped me get my daughter interested in shooting (she came to the shop with me sometimes).
Goodbye Dean, Rest in Peace.
I remember Dean from high school, always cutting up and making people laugh. Never without his briefcase. Dean had a wit about him that cheered people up. Dean is the kind of person we wish there were more of, he will be missed. Rest in Peace Dean
May God Bless and comfort Dean’s friends and family through their sorrow with pleasant thoughts of his friendship through his life. “Go rest high, on that mountain, …” Dean
Dean was truly a wonderful gentleman. He will be greatly missed. I will remember him as he is in the picture above, healthy, smiling, and full of life. Sharon, I will keep you and the entire family in my thoughts and prayers. God Bless!
Yes, indeed, Dean is a true gentleman. Always a smile and kind words. Peace and comfort to Sharon and the family.
We will miss you Dean.
A true gentleman of respect and honor. Dean never knew a stranger and personified the true meaning of “welcome”. Always philanthropic with his encyclopedic knowledge of firearms and gracious with his time to a rookie or seasoned firearms enthusiast. May peace find Dean’s Family and Friends left behind as we look to the heavens and know Dean belongs to the ages on the wings of an Angel.
Damn, that’s bad news. I recognized his face in the picture and then saw the headline. That really sucks.
I met Dean at a gun show many years ago. His specialty was .22s. I didn’t share his passion for exotic .22s, but he was still a fine man. Then I started coming to Guns Save Life meetings from time to time and he was always there in Rantoul/Champaign.
He was a fine man, like most everyone I’ve met at Guns Save Life. Dean always had something witty or upbeat to say, as someone wrote above. It was hard not to like the guy. He’d go out of his way to help you out and didn’t gouge at his shop when there was panic buying. Bought a couple of guns from him and he always made a trip to his shop (almost a two hour drive for me) a pleasant trip.
He’ll be missed by many, I have no doubt.
Sam
Although we only knew him a short time, he treated my family as if we had known him for years. His passion for our country was infectious and dedication to his craft and GSL was unmatched. Our prayers for Sharon and his many friends. God gave us all a special gift with Dean.
Sharon, My prayers are with you. Take heart in knowing Dean is no longer hurting. Dean thanks for the friendship, you may be gone but
you are not forgotten.
I didn’t know so much about Dean being a gun advisor and advocate, although he did help me get rid of some guns, but I knew him as one of the Broadland’s Follies. That boy had a great singing voice, terrific style and could out dance the group. He worked hard at being a perfectionist and enjoyed being on stage. Dean was a gentleman, a comedian and always put a smile on my face and made me laugh. A handsome man indeed so I will cherish my memories of him.
Dean was a great patriot and proud of his country. I met him thru seeing him and his display table at gun shows and then became a customer of his shop when he opened it in Homer. He will be missed because he was a fine gentleman. Prayers for strength for Sharon and his family.
Dean, I will miss you. Sharon, our prayers are with you and your family.
I just found that Dean passed this Monday. I worked with Dean at the guns shows for many years. Sharon I am so sorry to hear that Dean passed I miss him but we will see him again on the other side where there is no pain, sorrow and tears Nick