Dean Mechtley

Dean William Mechtley age 73 of Elk Falls passed away on March 25, 2018 at his home surrounded by his family.

Dean was born on July 9, 1944 at Saint Mary's Hospital in Emporia to William and Esther (Grimmett) Mechtley. He attended local schools and would sometimes skip school and sneak away to the livestock sales at the sale barn. One time buying a goat and surprising his mother with his purchase, he would eventually trade the goat at the sale barn for a mule, after realizing the goat milk business was tough. Dean went on to graduate from Emporia High School. After graduation he worked various jobs including, department manager for Montgomery Wards, service manager at John North Ford, service manager at Crow Murray Ford in Burlington, Santa Fe Trucking, Professional Saddle Bronc Rider winning a title, and his proudest business achievement was his paint horse and cattle ranch. He sold to the movie companies the black and white paint horse used by Little Jo Cartwright on Bonanza and the backup buckskin for Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke. Dean was also the recliner coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, they would have had many Super Bowl titles if they would have just listened to him. Dean met Ginny Edwards in Emporia and the couple was united in marriage on April 5, 1987. The couple made their home in Elk Falls where they briefly owned and operated the Circle N Diner later transforming the diner into their home and ranch where he continued breeding paint horses and custom grazing cattle for over 28 years. Dean enjoyed working outdoors, camping, training horses, and watching westerns, above all spending time with his granddaughters, they were his pride and joy. Over the years Dean had employed almost every niece and nephew at the ranch, painting fence, building fence, feeding cattle, or painting a barn.

Dean's memories will live on with his wife Ginny of the home, sons, Robert Traw (Tammy) and Doug Traw (Susan), daughter Jane Neill, granddaughters Brandy Lowrance (Asa) and Emily Traw, brother, Ken Metchley (Marsha), 34 nieces and nephews, 83 great-nieces and nephews and 25 great-great-nieces and nephews.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents.

Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at Elk Falls Cemetery at 11:00am. Friends are invited to sign the register and greet the family on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at the Christian Community Church in Longton from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. To leave the family a message of condolence, please visit www.fordwulfbrunschapel.com.

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