His wife and daughters are heartbroken to announce the passing of Dean Curtis Chappell on September 29, 2026. He loved his life and had no intention of going down easy! During his three and a half year battle with melanoma and the grueling treatments that caused countless side effects, he still got up most days saying “Its gonna be a great day babe!”

Dean was born in Saskatoon, SK on January 2, 1962 to his parents Wilfred and Verna Chappell. He attended elementary school at Howard Coad School and graduated grade 12 from Mount Royal Collegiate in 1979. Many of Dean’s lifelong friendships were rooted in the Mount Royal neighborhood where grew up. He played community hockey for much of his youth. Portaging through Prince Albert National Park and practicing outdoor survival skills were highlights of his years in the Boy Scouts.

Dean participated in swimming lessons earning his Bronze Medallion and life guarding certification. He was an avid skier, was a member of the Saskatoon Ski Club, and loved to recall the mischief he and his teammates managed to get into while traveling to competitions. He loved to go fast, whether it was on skis, a snowmobile or a dirt bike, his most memorable outings usually involved a crazy escapade and a narrow escape!

When his interests gravitated to activities that earned a paycheque, Dean started his first job at Lorne’s Shell Service Station on 22’nd St. It was the perfect after school job for the friendly teenager and passionate car enthusiast.

Dean had a number of jobs out of high school, including a few years as a head caretaker with the Saskatoon Public School Board and as a manager in housekeeping at the Royal University Hospital, but inevitably his enthusiastic nature and greater aspirations led him to a career in sales, which is where he really hit his stride.

In the early 90’s, as a new member of the Rapid Paper sales team, Dean was a standout. His ability to connect with people is what made him remarkable. When he advanced to the role of sales manager, he was as genuinely invested in the success of others as he was in his own.

In 2000, Dean and his Rapid Paper colleagues partnered to form Pinnacle Distribution and quickly grew the company to six locations across western Canada. The Pinnacle team came together with their own strengths and backgrounds but a shared vision. His company’s success was an enormous source of pride and easily the most rewarding part of his life after his family.

Dean married Meredith Schreiner of Saskatoon on October 9, 1993, and they welcomed daughters Kaitlin in 1990 and Kennedy in 1994. Dean was a hands-on dad who believed in being involved and present for anything important to his daughters. As they became adults, the dad hotline remained open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing services from finance to car maintenance. They were either making plans for dinner out in the city or a weekend at the cabin.

Dean took great joy in traveling and exploring the world. He also wanted to be in the home that he loved, arguing with his wife over decorating choices just for fun. He looked forward to restoring the model A sitting in his shop, which was slowly becoming the ultimate man cave. More than anything, he was excited to live out retirement at his cabin; hunting, fishing and making memories with his chosen family at Hitchcock Bay on Lake Diefenbaker.

He felt true gratification in the wonderful life he built for himself and his wife and daughters. He had his family, his friends, his home, his hobbies and a seemingly endless list of things he was going to get around to doing. He would’ve enjoyed every moment of it, because that is just who he was, and we wish so much that he’d had the chance.

Dean will be so missed by his wife and partner of 40 years Meredith; his daughter, Kaitlin; and his daughter, Kennedy. His brother in law and sister in law, Joel Schreiner and Leslie Schreiner (Kinnee) and nephew Kole Schreiner and niece Lexie Schreiner.

He was predeceased by his parents Wilfred and Verna Chappell.

A Celebration of Dean’s Life will take place on Thursday, November 12, at 4:00 p.m. at Prairieland Park, Hall C. A cash bar will be available, with debit and credit payments accepted. We encourage everyone to make arrangements for a safe ride home.