Marvin Kritzman

Funeral Information

Visitation will be Monday, January 2 from 12 noon – 2 pm, with funeral services to follow at 2 pm at the McGregor Methodist Church located at 2230 Forester Rd, Deckerville, MI 48427. Dean will be buried next to his wife and son in the Deckerville Downing Cemetery.

Family of the Deceased

Dean is lovingly remembered by his children, Marilyn, of Kalamazoo, Nancy (Steve Pozsgay), of Deckerville, and Timothy (Deborah), Carsonville. Dean was a very proud grandfather of six grandchildren, Benjamin Thomas Dean, Lydia (fiancé Kyle Close), Aaron Thomas, Ella Joann, Amelia, and Hadassah, one brother-in-law Rev. Jerry Kruchkow, Oak Hill, WV, sisters-in-law Cleo Kritzman, Bridgeport and Norine Horst, Zephyrhills, FL, many, many nieces and nephews and his beloved, but very bewildered Saint Bernard, Tucker. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Joann, son Tom (Pudge), siblings and in-laws: brother Hazen Robert, sister Shirl Flatt (Lloyd McNabb) and twin sister Jean (Lyle) Deneen; brothers and sisters in-law Maude (Gibb) Hessey, Ruby (Russell) Peck, Mildred (Otto) Keilitz, Maxine (Charles) Fox, Gwendolyn (Thomas “Tim”) Llewellyn, Donna (Arthur) Llewellyn, Marion (Edwin) Rayl, Ethel (James) Albertson, Norine Kruchkow and Walter Horst.

Biography

The family of Dean Kritzman announce his unexpected death Friday, December 23, 2022. A devoted man of God, father, grandfather, family member and friend, he was reunited with his wife Joann and son Tom “Pudge” in time to celebrate Christmas. Born February 14, 1935, to Hazen and Ella Kritzman, in Dearborn Michigan, he was the youngest of 4 children. When he was a year-old, his family moved to the family farm in Shabonna, Michigan. He graduated from Cass City High School in 1953. An athlete from an early age, he ran cross country track and held the school record for the mile for over 20 years. In 1954, Dean met and began a romance with Joann Horst. They married April 2, 1955, and their marriage lasted 64 ½ years. They lived their lives loving each other, their Heavenly Father and their family. Together they owned and operated Kritzman’ s Dairy Farms, and as their retirement venture, they owned and operated Kritzman’ s Berry Farm, both in Deckerville. He retired for the second time in 2017. He was the quintessential Midwest farmer - hard-working, determined and humble. He loved the land and his cows. As kids, we were not allowed to listen to rock music in the barn because it would cause his “cows to produce less milk”. It worked. His dairy herd yielded top milk producers, and he was often recognized by the Michigan Milk Producers Association as one of the top dairymen in Sanilac County. He could fix anything, and his favorite words were, “There is no such thing as can’t”. Dean was active in community affairs. He was elected to the Deckerville School Board, the Deckerville Village Council and was a long-term member of the Federal Land Bank Allocations Board. Dean was a lifelong and active member of the United Methodist Church. He chaired and served on nearly every board and committee over the years, trained and served as a lay speaker within the church and coached the church’s little league team. He had a burden for the lost and led many to the Lord over his lifetime. Additionally, he was very involved in the Deckerville Athletic Boosters. He and others started Saturday morning athletic programs teaching middle and junior high school athletes’ basketball and football fundamentals. Dean modeled his athletic coaching style after the late basketball coach John Wooden. He was devoted to his family. He spent many hours attending his children’s and grandchildren’s activities. Dean will be remembered for living a life of faith, kindness and patience, but most importantly, as an extraordinary father, grandfather, and friend. A soft-spoken and gentle man, he had high standards and expectations and unmatched integrity. One knew never to mistake his kindness for weakness.

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