Hard-working, loving, intelligent, generous, sensitive
Logan was born to Deb and Tom as the oldest brother of Cassidy and Ian. The children made their fondest memories during playtime. At seven, Logan loved to play pretend, and on one occasion, he and his siblings planned a wedding. Logan sported a crown and plunger scepter, while Cassidy adorned herself with a tutu and high heels. The quirky ceremony was the event of the season! The kids also sang karaoke and danced often–usually in their underwear–with Logan’s song of choice being “I’m Blue” by Eiffel 65. Their imaginative and free-spirited shenanigans brought their mother so much joy.
Over time, Logan grew passionate about sports. He played on his high school varsity soccer team, which made it to state, and continued playing into adulthood. He loved watching his favorite football teams, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Green Bay Packers. One of his cherished memories was a Florida trip to watch the Hawkeyes win the Orange Bowl. He also attended a Packers game at Lambeau Field, and after his passing, a memorial plaque was installed there in his honor. His mom and siblings have since traveled to see it and watch the Packers play. Though they wished he could be there, they were comforted by the feeling that Logan was smiling down on them.
Effortlessly smart and dedicated to his work, Logan always performed well in school, and proved to be a fast learner capable of immense responsibilities. At just fourteen, he started his own mowing service and juggled two additional jobs during high school, all while maintaining a 3.73 GPA. He loved hands-on work and hoped to own a business one day, so he entered the Tippie School of Business at the University of Iowa and spent summers flipping houses. Unfortunately, his substance use disorder caused him to drop out his senior year, so he returned home, continued flipping houses, and became a roofer.
Logan carried an immense amount of shame and guilt, always apologizing for what he did during active addiction. It was an endless cycle, but he remained committed to making his own way in the world and was one of the hardest workers out there. Had things been different, no doubt he would have achieved all his dreams.
A month before his passing, Logan lived with his mother, as his criminal record prevented him from renting. Deb drove him daily to his roofing job, and their car rides were filled with singing, laughter, and conversation–welcome signs that no matter how difficult his life got, the same Logan was still there, fighting to succeed.
Logan loved his friends and would give the shirt off his back to any of them. One Christmas, he even bought gifts for his entire roofing crew, despite having little money. No matter his circumstances, he always put others first, and after his death, a friend he made in prison reached out to tell Deb just how generous Logan was. After Logan’s release, he would put money in the man’s commissary. He continued talking about what a good person Logan was and how much his friendship meant. Logan’s experiences made him empathetic and accepting of people from all walks of life. To him, every person was worthy of love.
Logan persevered in the face of adversity and transformed the smallest gestures into the grandest of contributions, and though his life wasn’t easy, he did his best to ensure that others’ lives might be.
Logan’s mother, Deborah Dean, provided the information for this narrative.
February 17, 1995–December 23, 2019-Age 24
Portrait Artist: Shawn Faust
Narrative Writer: Willow Kline
