KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — Milt Dean, a U.S. Army veteran, retired educator, and lifelong community volunteer, has been named the first-ever recipient of the Kenosha County Veteran of the Year Award, County Executive Samantha Kerkman announced Friday.
Dean will be formally recognized during the annual Veterans Appreciation Summer Picnic, scheduled for noon on Friday, May 30, at the Kenosha County Veterans Memorial Park.
“This award honors veterans who have continued serving their community long after their military careers,” Kerkman said in the announcement. “Milt’s spirit of service is what this award is all about, and he is a most-deserving recipient of the inaugural honor.”
Dean, 78, served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968 with the 93rd Engineers. After returning home, he earned a degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and embarked on a 34-year teaching career at Prairie Lane Elementary School, where he mentored generations of fifth- and sixth-grade students and received the district’s Teacher of the Year Award in 1986.
Though officially retired in 2004, Dean was later called back to help with intramural sports programs and continues to serve as an instructor. He also sponsors a local Little League team and sits on the Little Leaguers of Kenosha board.
A blood donor with the rare AB negative blood type, Dean has given more than 15 gallons, much of it to children in need. He’s also helped raise thousands for Special Olympics, organized Salvation Army bellringing campaigns, and mentored students at multiple Kenosha schools.
In the veterans’ community, Dean is active with American Legion Post 21, Navy Club Ship 40, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1865. He helps coordinate Memorial Day and Veterans Day events, visits veterans in nursing homes, and regularly attends the Heroes Café meetups for veterans.
“Milt is second to none,” said Veterans Services Director Jennifer Blasi. “When it comes to veterans actively serving the community, he sets the standard.”
Dean’s wife Jackie, who nominated him for the award, called him “a proud veteran, loyal to both our country and our county.”
“I feel very honored and fortunate being chosen as the first recipient,” Dean said in a statement. “I’d like to personally thank County Executive Kerkman for initiating this new award honoring our valued commodity, veterans.”
The May 30 picnic is free and open to all veterans and their families. It will be held at the Veterans Honor Plaza within Kenosha County Veterans Memorial Park, accessible via the Karow Court entrance off Highway F. Free roundtrip transportation from Festival Foods at 3207 80th Street will be available, though space is limited.
For transportation arrangements, veterans may contact the Kenosha County Veterans Service Office at 262-605-6690 or email Veterans.Services@kenoshacountywi.gov.
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5 Responses
Best teacher I had
Wow, sounds like this is well deserved. Sounds like a great man.
God bless our Vietnam vets who were sent to a senseless war for my war mongers in DC.
Milt, you deserve this award, just for signing up for VA and learning how to battle the system. One of my friends once said, “VA gives a veteran another chance to lose his life for his country.”
Nice VOP in the Kenosha News yesterday, while the other VOP clowns were blubbering about Trump, and the KN doesn’t carry stories about Biden’s dementia and who was using the auto pen, a presidential scandal unsurpassed in the history of our great nation.
How fortunate we are to be acknowledging this day for its real meaning.
We all know the quote:
A hundred years from now it won’t matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…. but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.
This was written for “Mr Dean”
Other than my own father, Mr Dean was one of the most influential people in my life. He made a difference that is still with me today. He believed in me and had faith in me. He was part of making me who I am today. He no doubt has this effect on more than a thousand others. Thank you, and a well deserved honor to a great man.
Dan C