Dean T. Toepfer

Dean Thomas Toepfer, 84, of Columbia, CT, passed away peacefully on January 25, 2022.  He was born in Ware, MA, to the late Herman and Rose (Nutter) Toepfer and grew up in West Warren, MA.

Dean was a graduate of Warren High School and American International College (AIC) in Springfield, MA.  He completed his M.Ed. at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  He fondly remembered his youth, nicknamed “Red”, a left-handed pitcher and homerun hitter at Dean Field in West Warren and throughout high school and college.

Dean started his career teaching business education at Tantasqua Regional High School, where he met his future wife, Sandra Varnum.  He moved into administration as Assistant Principal at Southwick (MA) High School and Principal at Leicester (MA) High School.  Dean advanced to become Superintendent of Schools in Lebanon (CT), Foxboro (MA), Columbia (CT) and Canterbury (CT).  His favorite time was spent with students, frequently joining them for lunch in the cafeteria and attending concerts, plays and athletic events.  He “allowed” the NE Patriots to practice on the Foxboro High School field, after the school’s team was finished.

Dean lived in Columbia, CT, since 1991, after becoming Superintendent of Schools.  He was a very devoted and loved member of the community, serving in leadership roles on many town organizations while also being a dedicated member of the Columbia Congregational Church and Columbia Lions Club.  Dean received the honor of Connecticut Knight of the Blind by the Connecticut Lions Eye Research Foundation and was named Melvin Jones Fellow by the Lions Clubs International Foundation for his dedicated humanitarian services.

Dean was also an active member of the Foxboro (MA) Rotary Club while living in Foxboro and a Freemason at the Quaboag Lodge A.F. & A.M. in Warren, MA.

Dean’s passion was his love for his family, spending every minute possible together, coaching his daughters’ softball teams and proudly attending every possible event for his daughters and grandchildren.  He spent his summers at Green Hill Beach in Wakefield, RI, as a member of the Mautucket By The Sea beach association, with a house filled with family and Red Sox games on TV every night.  His love for the Red Sox and Patriots came in as a close second to his love for family, and he attended many games in Boston and Foxboro.

Dean is survived by his daughters, Rebecca Davis and her husband Ronald Jr., Christel Nolan and her husband Neil, his grandchildren Myles, Ronald III, Mallory-ann and Lucinda Davis, Andrew and Matthew Nolan, and his sister, Lana (Toepfer) Wood.  He was also the much loved “Grampa Dean” to many honorary grandchildren.

Dean was predeceased by his beloved wife, Sandra (Varnum) Toepfer, and brothers, Lowell and Dale Toepfer.

Dean’s family will receive relatives and friends on Monday, January 31, 2022, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson Street, Willimantic, CT.  His funeral service will take place on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at 10:00am at Columbia Congregational Church, 325 Route 87, Columbia, CT.  He will be laid to rest at a later time in Foxboro, MA. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Columbia Lions Club PO Box 1, Columbia, CT 06237 or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (his favorite charity in memory of Sandra Toepfer) Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor Brookline, MA 02445

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