Watch Dean's Private Funeral Mass

Dean "Joey" Bishop, age 75, of Waubun, MN, died Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at his home, under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Dean Charles Bishop was born November 18, 1944, in Minneapolis, MN, the son of Charles and Elaine (Swanson) Bishop Jr.  As a young boy, his family moved to Beaulieu, MN, and he grew up on the family farm near there.  Dean attended school at the Mahnomen Public School.  In the summers, he began working Bigman Busse Logging.  In December of 1963, Dean met the love of his life, Suzanne McDougall.  The couple would later be united in marriage on January 2, 1965, in Mahnomen.  Over the years, Dean worked a few different jobs starting at Ness Construction in 1964, then going to US Steel Keewatin Taconite in 1966, followed by a couple years as a Psychiatric Technician at Fergus Falls State Hospital before returning to the area in 1969 to work at Mark's Sand and Gravel.  Dean retired in 1994 after 25 years.  However, the very next day he began working for the White Earth Reservation Tribal Council at the Solid Waste Transfer Station.  In 1996, he was promoted to the Director of the Transfer Station and retired in 2017.

When Dean was not working, he enjoyed the great outdoors.  He liked to spend time hunting, fishing and gardening.  He could also be found taking the occasional trip to the casino.  Dean was a generous and loving husband, dad and grandpa, who was proud of all his grandkids.  He had a great sense of humor and will be missed by many.

Dean is survived by his wife, Sue, of Waubun; one daughter, Sandra (Rick Archer) of Fargo, ND; three sons: Larry (Suzanne) Nattress of Mahnomen, MN, Keith (Sandy) Bishop of Waubun, MN, and Vernon (Naome) Bishop of Twin Valley, MN; 12 grandchildren: Brittany Nattress, Derek Nattress, Heather Beaulieu, Joshua Beaulieu, Erica Fahleen, Jesse Dellaneva, Rayvn Dellaneva, Ryan Smith, Vella Bishop, Cami Bishop, Jessica (Chris) Sundquist and Nicholas Sundquist; and seven great-grandchildren: Zeth, Dexter, Keira, Bentlee, Levi, Skylar and Brodie; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a granddaughter, Jeri-Lyn Beaulieu; two sisters, Sandra Bishop and Gloria Heckman; one brother, Merton Bishop; and two nieces, Marie Bishop and Lamonte Queton.

Due to concerns surrounding Covid-19 and restricted gathering sizes, a private Funeral Mass was held at St. Anne's Catholic Church, Naytahwaush, MN, and a public Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.