Dean E. McCabe

Dean was born April 19, 1948, the second son of five boys to Thomas and Hope McCabe and raised on a farm near Homestead, Montana. He learned early the meaning of hard work and play.  Dean later graduated from Medicine Lake High School and Northern Montana College. He married Janis Grimm and they moved to Circle as first year teachers in 1971.  Dean taught Industrial Arts for 4 years but made more money running a trap line than from his teaching salary!  Dean and Janis had 3 children, Deanna, Mike and Jenny.  

He later began working as a carpenter and soon formed McCabe Construction. For the next 40 years he mentored and trained many young men and women as carpenters. Some went on to form their own companies. He liked to say he built anything from outhouses to churches –the Church we’re in today was one of his projects. He would also say “Just tell me what you want – don’t tell me how to do it.” He was a skilled craftsman.  Serving others was one of his love languages, and he spent his life making others' visions come to life.  

In 1986 his wife Janis and daughter Deanna (14) were tragically killed in a car accident.  He continued to lovingly raise his two children.  He later married Jan Jensen Keysor. She brought two more children into their blended family, Ben and Megan. Dean and Jan devoted themselves to forming a loving home for their children. They worked hard, played together and lived their lives supporting their four kids.  So many memories were created of weekends at the lake or fixing someone's house and each kid grew up to build their own families and homes.  

Dean loved the outdoors. Many memories were made on hunting and fishing trips. He loved living at hunting camp for a week with Mike and fishing in the numerous fishing tournaments, even if Dean gave away the details of all the good fishing spots as he visited with the competition.  He never met a stranger.  Dean and Jan also loved taking adventures with their friends.  He was a good friend to many. He would always reach out with a phone call or an offer help when he saw a need.

If you ask any of his children, Dean's greatest achievement was being present in his children and grandchildren's lives.  And if you ask his grandchildren, Grandpa lit up their world.  He was truly THE BEST grandpa, and it wasn’t just the Dairy Queen Blizzards or the fruit snacks in his pick up door that won them over.  Grandma and Grandpa's house was the “town home” for the Garoutte kids and Dean relished being able to be that integral a part of his grandkids lives.  He loved with the perfect blend of a steady hand and that grandpa's softness.  His love of sports started young and continued as he enjoyed watching his grandchildren play on the field and court.  

He actively served on rural electric cooperative boards, locally, in Montana and regionally. He loved the challenge of learning and formed many lasting friendships. Dean and Jan had the opportunity to travel and enjoy new areas and people. They had just begun to travel in their RV and experience more of the United States. Dean was a steady man with a servant’s heart. He showed his love by being able to do things for people. He loved the Lord, his wife, his kids, their spouses and 12 grandchildren with all of his heart. He left us behind too soon and abruptly when an aortic aneurysm took his life. He was a man of simple sincere faith.  We know he is with his Lord and Savior. To say he will be greatly missed, is an understatement.  

Dean is survived by his loving and well-loved wife of 37 years, Jan; son Mike McCabe; daughter Jenny (Tom) Garoutte; stepson Ben (Jolene Lee) Keysor; stepdaughter Megan (Ross) Winfrey; grandchildren: Zoey Keel, Collin Keysor, Gracie McCabe, Danny, Nate, Mikey, Sam and Abby Garoutte, Lydia, Cooper, Libby and Vanessa Winfrey; his brothers Paul (Janet), Jim (Becki), and Brad (Ronette) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dean was preceded in death by his wife Janis and daughter Deanna, his parents Tom and Hope McCabe, his brother Rod McCabe, nephew Landon McCabe, mother-in-law Betty Jean Jensen, sister-in-law Linda Jambeck, and brother-in-law Mark Jensen.  

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