Dean Kitzenberger

Dean Kitzenberger, 90, passed away on Monday, July 20, 2026. He was born August 13, 1935 to Harold and Elaine Kitzenberger in Emporia, Kansas.Dean spent 42 and a half years serving the public with the Kansas Turnpike Authority. He ended his career in the position of Structures Superintendent. Prior to his employment with KTA, he farmed on his family land around Americus, Kansas and attended K-State University in their animal husbandry program.

Dean was a lover of all things Border Collie. His three dearly loved Border Collies were Pote, Cody and Dakota. For many years, Pote and Dean provided residents of local nursing homes with entertainment and therapeutic enjoyment in and around El Dorado and Augusta, Kansas. He was an avid hunter, including elk in Colorado and birds in his home state of Kansas. Dean was a tried and true horseman, spending many hours trailering horses to and from horse shows including annual trips to the Kansas State Fair for his 4-H involved children. His black repainted horse trailer was also used by Dean for countless journeys moving his children and grandchildren to college, first apartments and new houses. This famous horse trailer was actually stolen in front of Dean who pursued the thief and retrieved the trailer while in his Turnpike Authority truck with lights flashing. He was a member of the Butler County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse and First Baptist Church of Mulvane. Reading books, collecting clocks and antiquing were other hobbies and interests of Dean.

Dean cherished his time with his 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren and provided them with sweet memories of working in the barn, making crafts and riding horses and tractors. He was known and loved as Dad, Grandpa, Pampa, Gpa, and Poppa.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Mary Lou; children; Kim (Richard) Haig, Scott Kitzenberger, Kristi Zogleman; grandchildren, Nathan (Marlee), Caitlin (Nate), Nicholas (Kaarin), Brittany (Tanner), Kindra, Caleb (Lauren); great grandchildren, Chevy, Ripken, Caroline, Colton, Sawyer, Bentley, Silas, Calvin.

Visitation with family is 3:00 - 5:00 PM on Sunday, July 26, 2026 at Smith Mortuary, 1415 N Rock Road, Derby, KS 67037. Funeral service is 10:00 AM on Monday, July 27, 2026 at the First Baptist Church of Mulvane, 1020 N 2nd Ave, Mulvane, KS 67110 and graveside service follows at 2:30 PM at the Americus Cemetery, Americus, Kansas.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Come Bye Border Collie Rescue, P.O. Box 332, Highland, IL 62249 or KSU Dog Cancer Research, 1800 Denison Ave, Manhattan, KS 66506.