A Life Lived: Dean Street was a hard worker who enjoyed his family and a day at the lake

Published 11:20 am Tuesday, August 5, 2025

There is an old saying: Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice.

Harold Dean Street, who died July 28 after a long battle with cancer, knew what hard work was, and every day he chopped his own wood. He had worked 38 years at Snap-on Tools in Elizabethton, was a Vietnam War veteran and was a devoted son, husband and father.

Street and his brother, Donnie, who is deceased, grew up in the Siam community, the sons of Robert and Jettie (Beryl) Canter Street. He attended Siam School and Hampton High School, where he played baseball.

Following high school, Dean joined the U.S. Navy as a quartermaster, serving on the USS Independence. He served during the Vietnam War era, from 1963 to 1967.

Grit and determination defined Dean’s life best. A friend, who asked that we feature Dean in this column, said: “He had a lot of character. He never shirked his responsibilities, not on the job, not with his family and those around him. He was there every day for the people who depended on him.”

His daughter, Crystal Carpenter, shared, “My daddy was a good man. He was a good son, who took care of his mother. Every Friday evening he went to the store and bought her groceries. He sat with her every day after he retired and as she grew weaker. His mother died at age 93. His father had died when Dean and his brother were young boys, leaving his mother as their only caregiver.”

She also noted that her father was faithful to his work, seldom missing a day. “He did all his yard work, trimmed his hedges as well as his mother’s,” she said.

In his spare time, Street enjoyed fishing and mostly fished on Watauga Lake. “That was his favorite thing to do. He could make fun out of anything,” Crystal said, noting that for several years she was his fishing partner. “He spent a lot of time with his family, and he enjoyed doting on his grandchildren,” said Crystal.

In addition to Crystal, Dean also had two sons, Walter and Jeremy Street, and eight grandchildren plus three great-grandchildren.

Dean, in addition to his children, is survived by their mother, Susie Street.

Dean enjoyed going to Hampton High football games, and in addition to fishing, he occasionally would go hunting.

When it came to mealtime, Crystal said her father wasn’t particular about what was on the table, but he especially enjoyed chicken and dumplings and fried apple pies “like his mom made.”

Dean Street had a lot of friends — friends who knew him and had experienced firsthand what a hard worker he was and his devotion to his family. He never banked on luck but banked on work and his trust in God.

Dean Street was laid to rest Aug. 1 with his son, Walter, assisting with the service.

He was a believer in “Nothing will work unless you do.” In addition to his family, he leaves behind a host of friends.