(Editor’s note: The following feature, shared by The Scranton Journal, is part of that publication’s annual “Celebrating Marriages of 50 Years or More” section, published May 6. The special section was compiled by Luann Waldo and Lora Koch)
Dean and Lois McAtee of Jefferson
Married September 1, 1956
Born in two different states, it was the town of Adel where Dean and Lois would first meet during their high school years. Dean was born and raised in Adel, but Lois was born in Omaha and lived there until 1947 when her father purchased Clancy’s Café and Cabin Court and filling station in Adel. She was 11 years old at the time.
“I got to learn how to clean cabins, bathrooms, and wash dishes,” said Lois. “When I was not in school, I was working at the café, cabins, and filling station. The whole family worked together, including my great uncle who lived with us.”
Dean was four years older than Lois, and a high school senior when she was a freshman. “All the kids came to the café,” said Lois. “Mom always heard all their woes and confessions. She thought Dean was a very nice boy.”
Lois recalled their first date. “Dean played summer baseball, and he asked to take me home after a game. We dated on and off, and I was dating another guy, too. Dean told me I needed to choose, and I chose him.”
Dean and Lois continued dating, and by Lois’ senior year in high school, her family had moved to Cedar Rapids. Dean worked at Goodyear Tire Service until he joined the Navy. With Dean’s military assignment on Coronado Island near San Diego, CA, he gave Lois an engagement ring.
Lois recalled, “My grandmother told me not to take it, that he would be dating in San Diego.”
Dean said they kept in touch, though, “We wrote letters and every Sunday night we talked on the phone. The rates were half-price on Sundays.” Lois laughed saying, “You cheapskate!”
As her grandmother had predicted, Dean did date other girls in San Diego so Lois took action. “I gave him back the ring about a year later. He was dating others and I was not putting up with that!”
Lois took secretarial and accounting courses in Cedar Rapids and held several positions, including legal secretary for a partner in the largest law firm in Cedar Rapids. When Dean’s military service ended, he attended Drake University until Goodyear offered him a management school position. The opportunity was in Burlington.
After a while, Lois decided she wanted to see Dean one more time, intending to, “tell him where to go and how to get there. But, once I saw him, I realized I still loved him.”
Dean laughed, “She is still telling me where to go and how to get there!”
They were married about six months later on September 1, 1956. “It took seven years to convince me to marry him,” said Lois. At the time, Dean was assistant store manager for Goodyear Tires in Burlington. From there, he was promoted to store manager in Sterling, IL, and continued moving up with the next stop in Davenport.
Dean then decided to leave Goodyear to work for an independent tire dealer in Spencer. After about five years there, he purchased the tire store in Jefferson in 1966, known as McAtee Tire Inc. The business has grown over the years and now includes the original McAtee Tire in Jefferson, plus tire stores in Atlantic, Marshalltown and Rockwell City.
As Jefferson residents for nearly 50 years, Dean and Lois have many memories of the town.
“When we first moved here, a lot of streets were not paved yet. Highway 4 was a two-lane road,” said Dean.
“The city voted on a ten-year street program, and did a good job planning it.” Lois added, “We always lived in town in Jefferson. With four children, you need to live in town!”
Dean and Lois have four daughters (pictured with them, from left) – Laurie Wahl (John) of Twin Lakes; Sue Kenkel of Davison, MI; Jean Feldmann (Don) of Jefferson, and Dee Ann Wagley of Chicago, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Throughout their marriage, Dean and Lois always enjoyed traveling together. “When Dean was with Goodyear, he won a lot of trips. We have visited about 20 countries and have been to England and Germany two or three times,” said Lois.
A memorable trip for Dean was to the Grand Canyon. “We walked down and stayed all night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon at Phantom Ranch.”
For Lois, her favorite trip was to China around 1983. “We climbed the Great Wall. Nixon had just opened relations with China around the time we went. There were more bicycles than cars, and the progress there was just starting.”
Dean and Lois may have differing opinions on some things, but they strongly agree their faith in God is very important to them and their marriage. They are active in the First Christian Church-Disciples of Christ in Jefferson where Lois helps with the grade school children and directed the children’s choir for about 20 years.
Lois laughed, “We’d be divorced if not for our faith. We learned to fight fair.”
Dean nodded and smiled saying, “Yes dear, yes dear, yes dear…that’s all there is to it.”
Lois responded, “You better have a sense of humor when you are married this long!”
In a more serious tone, Lois said, “I praise Dean for all the gifts he’s given our family. Part of the key to our relationship is being active in our community, in addition to our church. Sharing our time and resources gives us a lot of happiness.
“Even if we didn’t have much,” explained Lois, “we wanted to give back from what God has given us.”
With their passion about giving back to their community, it’s no surprise that this delightful and outgoing couple dons costumes and plays a special role each Christmas season – as none other than Santa and Mrs. Claus. Dean has played Santa Claus about 30 years, and added Lois as Mrs. Claus about five years ago. They are a favorite attraction, even if they are slowing down their event schedule.
With all their life experiences and miles they have traveled, they agree there is no place like home.
Dean explained for them both, “We have never visited a better place than Iowa. There is nothing like it. We are very fortunate to live here.”
