Dehne, 86, was a more than 50 year resident of Whidbey Is. He was married to Jennifer “Cookie” Bryant of the Freeland Cafe Bryant family for more than 40 years. He was currently living in Green Valley, AZ near Tucson. He and Cookie were “snowbirds” for many of the later years of their lives. Unfortunately, this past November he contracted “Valley Fever” while in Green Valley and passed away as a result of complications from this illness. Cookie, his beloved wife, was by his side throughout the illness until the end.

Dehne was born and raised in Chatsworth, CA. He went on to the Univ of OR at Corvallis to earn a BA in business. Soon after he joined the US Army and did a life sentence until his RIF dismissal as a Major. He survived 2 tours in Vietnam earning 2 purple hearts and other awards and medals. After the Army he made his way back to Whidbey where he had travelled with his father and brothers to visit their father’s hometown of Langley. His grandparents had raised their family here as part of the 2nd immigrant wave to settle in the NW. They are buried side by side in the Langley Woodmen Cemetery. In that way he was a bit of a native of Whidbey, he’d just been gone for a ‘few years’.

Dehne found a 2nd career here on Whidbey selling real estate for many years with Dalton Realty. He also worked for a time at the WSF at Clinton before his final retirement to his home on Holmes Harbor Golf Course. Dehne was an easy going, popular guy who made fast friends with all he encountered. He is and will be sadly missed by so many who knew and loved him. For fun he enjoyed camping with his dog Dakine, golfing or watching it on TV in the later years and riding his bike every day for exercise until the end. He is survived by his loving wife, Cookie, his children; Amy Frantz (Tony) of Freeland, WA; Brian McGinnis (Kim) of Golden Valley, AZ; Melissa Johnson (Bruce) of Gig Harbor, WA; and Timothy McGinnis of Seattle, WA. His remains were cremated and he requested that no services be held.