Dean became a nature/science buff at 3 years of age, butterfly collecting an and fishing in Prairie Village. He moved to Baldwin City, and joining 4-H and Boy Scouts. He continued insect collecting, adding electronics and photography, entering exhibits in the Douglas County 4-H fair, and earning merit badges toward his Eagle Scout award, all the while working in the family newspaper business for 14 years. Formal education loved him, excelling in chemistry, biology, mathematics, English, journalism and creative writing, while avidly pursuing baseball, pitching 2 no-hitters in his career. Medical school, marriage, internship, and residency followed, practicing as a board-certified general internist 28 years, now a freelance medical writer.