Man who burned to death was 'great guy'
Family, friends say Chuck Dewey was fun-loving and caring
By Molly Montag Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, July 17, 2008
WESTFIELD, Iowa -- Family members and friends say Chuck Dewey was quick with a joke and liked to play in the dirt but always made time to look out for his friends.
Dewey, 48, of Westfield, Iowa, died Friday when he accidentally set himself on fire while using a torch to salvage heavy equipment on West 29th Street in South Sioux City. Investigators have said they may never know exactly how it happened.
Ione Upton, Dewey's sister, said her brother loved working on and driving earth-moving machines. You might as well call it playing in the dirt, she said.
"He loved operating that stuff and moving dirt," Upton said. "We figure he's building roads in heaven or making terraces."
Dewey worked as a heavy equipment mechanic at Ziegler Cat in Sioux City, operated West End Dirt Moving Co. in Westfield and had a passion for trains.
Jim Eskens, branch manager at Ziegler Cat, said Dewey was well-liked by contractors for his dedication. It didn't matter if it was a newer model or a really old machine, Dewey kept up on the latest technology and enjoyed working on them all.
"If (contractors) needed a machine, he worked the extra to get that machine up and going for them," Eskens said.
His family said Dewey liked to tinker with equipment, even as a young child.
When her brother was a toddler, Upton said, their mother bought him a second-hand mixer for Christmas so he could take it apart and reassemble it.
"That's what he wanted," Upton said.
Working with the machines kept her bother busy, Upton said Dewey was on vacation the day of the accident but wanted to get the heavy equipment cut up so he and Gloria, his wife, could spend the rest of the weekend celebrating their first wedding anniversary.
Gloria Dewey said Wednesday her husband was a kindhearted man who caught her attention with his smile, sense of humor and caring ways.
"He was the most loving, caring, sincere person in the world," she said.
Jennifer Adler worked with Dewey for almost 10 years at Ziegler Cat. He was always telling jokes and wasn't afraid to pull a prank, including greasing somebody's tools..
"Anything to take them by surprise," Adler said.
Ziegler Cat receptionist Cindy Huss said Dewey went out of his way to check on his co-workers when they were having a bad day. She said he always noticed when they were feeling down and made a point to tell people he cared about them.
"He was just a great guy," Huss said. "He was just a great guy, and I'm going to miss him so much."
Dewey, 48, of Westfield, Iowa, died Friday when he accidentally set himself on fire while using a torch to salvage heavy equipment on West 29th Street in South Sioux City. Investigators have said they may never know exactly how it happened.
Ione Upton, Dewey's sister, said her brother loved working on and driving earth-moving machines. You might as well call it playing in the dirt, she said.
"He loved operating that stuff and moving dirt," Upton said. "We figure he's building roads in heaven or making terraces."
Dewey worked as a heavy equipment mechanic at Ziegler Cat in Sioux City, operated West End Dirt Moving Co. in Westfield and had a passion for trains.
Jim Eskens, branch manager at Ziegler Cat, said Dewey was well-liked by contractors for his dedication. It didn't matter if it was a newer model or a really old machine, Dewey kept up on the latest technology and enjoyed working on them all.
"If (contractors) needed a machine, he worked the extra to get that machine up and going for them," Eskens said.
His family said Dewey liked to tinker with equipment, even as a young child.
When her brother was a toddler, Upton said, their mother bought him a second-hand mixer for Christmas so he could take it apart and reassemble it.
"That's what he wanted," Upton said.
Working with the machines kept her bother busy, Upton said Dewey was on vacation the day of the accident but wanted to get the heavy equipment cut up so he and Gloria, his wife, could spend the rest of the weekend celebrating their first wedding anniversary.
Gloria Dewey said Wednesday her husband was a kindhearted man who caught her attention with his smile, sense of humor and caring ways.
"He was the most loving, caring, sincere person in the world," she said.
Jennifer Adler worked with Dewey for almost 10 years at Ziegler Cat. He was always telling jokes and wasn't afraid to pull a prank, including greasing somebody's tools..
"Anything to take them by surprise," Adler said.
Ziegler Cat receptionist Cindy Huss said Dewey went out of his way to check on his co-workers when they were having a bad day. She said he always noticed when they were feeling down and made a point to tell people he cared about them.
"He was just a great guy," Huss said. "He was just a great guy, and I'm going to miss him so much."
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