Dean L. Bender

Dean Lee Bender, 64, of Orwin, passed away Tuesday evening, January 13, 2026 at the Hershey Medical Center with his wife by his side. Dean bravely fought cancer for the past year.

Born in Lykens, on Friday, November 3, 1961, a son the late Dean N. and Patricia Leitzel Bender.  

Dean was a 1980 graduate of Williams Valley High School. He served for 13 years with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

He recently retired from Home Depot, Lebanon, where he was a department manager. He received numerous awards over the years and was employee of the month multiple times.

Dean was a very active member of the Orwin Fire Company, where he served as Fire Chief for over 36 years. He was also a Schuylkill County fire marshal.

As Dean would say, "If you can think it, you can do it." There was nothing he could not fix. He always said that he wanted to learn and do everything possible, which he definitely accomplished. 

Without a doubt, his favorite place was his cabin. He built the cabin from the ground up, and it truly was his happy place, enjoying every minute spent there. Dean was an avid hunter, always appreciating what nature had to offer. He enjoyed his vacations to the island Eleuthera. He could often be found doing scratch off tickets. Dean was also a huge animal lover. He even had his "little farm," raising everything from chickens, goats, Guinea pigs, and more. Dean will be remembered for his great storytelling about past experiences and his one of a kind sense of humor. 

Dean is survived by his high school sweet heart, Susan Dimon Bender to whom he was married 42 years; his daughter, Leah Michael and her husband Jason; his son, Mitchel Bender; two grandsons, Brandon and Kyle Brew.

Following Dean's wishes there will be no formal services.

Please omit flowers. Donations in Dean's memory can be made to Compassion in the Valley, 9 N Hand Street, Tower City, PA 17980.

The Dimon Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., Tower City has been entrusted with Dean's arrangements.    

To send condolences to the family visit www.dimonfuneralhome.com

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