We are very, very sad to announce the death of Dean Jorgenson, 72, of Camden, Maine on March 24, 2024.

Dean was born September 24, 1951 and was predeceased by his parents, Arnold T. and Leila (Kiel) Jorgenson.

He is survived by Mary (Glenn) Borreson, sister, Holmen, Wisconsin, nephews Mark (Michelle) Borreson and their family, Spring Grove, Minnesota, Erik (Monica) Borreson and their family, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Michael Borreson, Mauston, Wisconsin; and by Lana Douglas Snyder, sister, and Arthur Snyder, brother-in-law, Rural Valley, Pennsylvania.

We will hold a celebration of Dean’s life Sunday, April 14, 2024, at 2 p.m., at the Camden Opera House, Elm St, Camden; the doors to the Opera House will open at 1:30 p.m.

Dean was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He graduated from Sun Prairie High School in 1970, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. He first graduated with a B.A. in Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1975 and then attended and graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied under Dina Yannopoulos and Boris Goldovsky. The Curtis is probably the best music school in the world and only takes the finest musicians who all attend on a full scholarship.

Following that Dean performed for more than 15 years in opera companies in Germany and music festivals such as Wagner’s The Ring and Parsifal in 1982 at the Bayreuth Festival Theatre. He sang in cities such as Frankfurt, Cologne, Bayreuth, and Kreyfeld, where he performed numerous solo parts in the bass repertoire, including in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Weber’s Der Freischutz.

Dean moved to Rockport in 1991, after seeing an advertisement for the then Rockport Apprenticeshop in a yachting magazine while still in Germany. He had no experience with boats but was accepted, and began another career. He also set up the library for the Apprenticeshop’s The Artisans College.

Dean later moved to Camden, where he worked for many years at the Owl & Turtle bookshop, first on Bayview Street and then on the corner of Washington and Mechanic. He remained part of the boating community and was renowned for building not just full-size boats, but also exact model replicas of extraordinary beauty of ships, from full blueprints.

Dean also performed with the Camden Civic Theater and sang with various choral groups in the state as a guest soloist. He was also a regular at the Monday morning breakfasts at the Baptist Church.... no toast... mushroom, spinach omelette, blueberries, oatmeal. Dean was also active at the Meetingbrook Dogen and Francis Hermitage, a quiet place for practice and study of Contemplation, Zen & Engaged Service on Barnestown Road.

Dean was lately a company member of the Everyman Repertory Theatre, where he appeared in Love Letters, The Man Who Came to Dinner and Conversation at Midnight, among others. Most recently, he created the role of Lonnie Latrine in ERT’s series of Lux Radio Hour performances, and appeared as Dracula at the Strand in October, 2023, to a standing ovation.

All are welcome to say a few words about Dean from the stage if you are able.

He will be sorely missed by all his friends and family, as well as all the many, many dogs and cats and humans he took such loving care of.

Dean’s sisters invite you to make memorial donations to the Paws Animal Adoption Center, https://www.pawscares.org/donate, and the Everyman Repertory Theatre, https://www.everymanrep.org/take-action.

Please contact phodgson@everymanrep.org if you have any questions.