Dean Bradley Jensen: Teacher

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Dean Jensen was a man who deserved more special treatment than most celebrities and royalty commonly enjoy. One of his remarkable assets was that he neither desired nor requested any such treatment. In fact, he would have made sure that the spotlight shone on somebody else while he sat off to the side and helped.

My dad took delight in actions that many other people would avoid at all costs. If he were presented the choice of relaxing at a bar on a Friday night in Santa Barbara or volunteering his time to cook breakfast the next morning at a community function, he would always choose the latter. He made sure people knew they were worth something: Rich or poor, he treated everyone with the same level of respect.

Dean Bradley Jensen

Another wonderful aspect of his character was his desire to share his abilities with the people around him. He had a gift for teaching and engaging the students of both Monroe Elementary School and La Cumbre Junior High. He spent countless hours helping his students with the concepts they didn’t understand. He spent more than 30 years at one of the most difficult jobs, simply because increasing the children’s wealth of knowledge was so important to him.

He always encouraged both me and my sister, Angel. He attended every sporting event for which Angel was a cheerleader, and always showed up when my band had a music gig at a club. He was unique in his ability to cross every barrier that any social ladder could create, and became a member of whatever tribe happened to be meeting at the moment.

Dad was kind, unassuming, and genuine even to those who didn’t always do right by him. He rose above pettiness and greed. The variety and quantity of people whom he touched is a testament to the benefits of living a simple life in which one’s goal is to love others. — Geoff Jensen

I met Deano 25 years ago in Santa Barbara. Our friendship grew as we hung out surfing, camping, partying together, and so on.

When I received the telephone call from my wife a few weeks ago saying that Deano had a massive heart attack while riding his bike and passed away, it didn’t register. I was in San Francisco working on a carpentry job. When you receive that kind of news, it takes a minute or so for it to sink in. For the next few nights I lay awake thinking of all the times we had together, trying to remember every moment and put it in some sort of chronological order. Tears streamed down my face as I remembered a history I never wanted to end.

Of the 52 years that I have been alive, this was the friendship that brought me the most fulfillment. As a carpenter, I get the satisfaction of a job well done, but that’s temporary; it lasts only minutes. Friendship, on the other hand—that’s special. That knowing that I can count on someone no matter what. That brings me a sense of meaning that far outweighs any other life experiences I may have.

Deano will be missed by many people, and understandably so. He was a gentle soul full of laughter and optimism. These are two qualities we desperately need in a world that at times seems to be spinning out of control. — Craig Harris

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