Dean Richard Hirst, I.D. 6784
California Highway Patrol Sergeant

Obituary

Dean Richard Hirst (79) passed away at his home in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, in the afternoon hours of April 18, 2022 after a short battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his family. Dean and his wife, Sandra D Wetherell Hirst, had been residents of Chapel Hill, Tennessee for a short time  after a recent move from Bakersfield, California. 

Dean is survived by his wife and three adult children: Lisa (Kevin) Marshall  of Corpus Christi, TX, Suzanne (Jeremy) Ranck of Franklin, TN, Brian (Julie) Hirst of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, and their mother, Marilee Knudsen of Franklin, TN.  He is also survived by his sister Donna (George) Thomas of Waynesville, North Carolina and two adult nieces. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren and four step-grandchildren, along with many, many friends.

Dean was born to Bertha M Broderson Wetherell and Edward D Hirst on June 25, 1942, in Riverside, New Jersey.   His sister, Donna, made her debut on-scene a short six years later.  As an infant, Dean lost his father who was classified as MIA in the South Pacific during WWII. His mother passed away on New Years Eve, 2002, at the age of 84.    

Dean’s childhood was spent living in many places due to his step-father, William J Wetherell’s naval career.  He called New Jersey, Connecticut, South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Cuba home.  Dean graduated from high school at WT Sampson High School in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Dean joined the United States Navy (USN) in 1960 serving as a submariner aboard the USS Permit in the Pacific.  After discharge from the USN in 1966 he drove a school bus for the Napa Valley Unified School District.

On December 2, 1968, Dean entered the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy.  After graduation in April of 1969, he was assigned to the CHP West Los Angeles (WLA) Area. While working in the WLA area, he met and married Marilee J Granger on  November 23, 1969.  He later worked in West Valley, Ventura, Barstow and, finally, Morongo Basin (Joshua Tree). 

Dean earned his associates degree in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration at Moorpark College in 1974.

In 1989, Dean promoted to CHP Sergeant and worked in both Barstow and the Morongo Basin areas becoming very active in the Morongo Basin communities.  With his traffic safety knowledge, he taught traffic violator classes at Copper Mountain College and drivers education at 29 Palms and Yucca Valley High Schools.  He also worked closely with the US Marine Air Combat Center in 29 Palms on several traffic safety programs over the years.  

Dean was President of the Joshua Tree Chapter 71 of the International Footprinters Association from 1995 thru 1998.  In 1997, just prior to his CHP retirement, he was honored by the Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce as the CHP Officer of the Year. 

During Dean’s 27 year tenure at the CHP, he was also active in the US Coast Guard (USCG) Reserves.  He rose to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3 before retiring from the USCG with 30 years of service. 

In his later years, Dean was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and developed a love for genealogy, tracing his family ancestry back to Leeds, England in the 1600’s.  Dean spent endless hours contributing to genealogy media sites by visiting cemeteries across the country and logging grave stone plots aiding in priceless online genealogical data for people all over the world.  Over 11 years, he logged over 28 thousand memorials in behalf of the general public. 

Dean will be remembered by his friends and family as someone who went out of his way to help others.  He could always be counted on.  He valued hard work and was always active on some kind of project or task.  Dean loved to laugh, to care for those around him, to adventure, and to do puzzles.  He will be missed tremendously by all who had the privilege of knowing him. 

There are no services planned.  Dean will be buried in a National Veterans Cemetery at a later time.  In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made in Dean’s honor to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. 

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