| Graduation Year | Class of 1953 |
| Date of Birth | Jan 18, 1935 |
| Date of Passing | Sep 03, 2026 |
| About | Dean H. Davenport 1935 - 2026 Dean H. Davenport passed away peacefully over Labor Day weekend in the family’s beloved log-and-stone summer cottage on the western shore of Lake Charlevoix. He was 91 and, fittingly, had enjoyed yet another magical summer at the cottage—for more than 60 years a favorite red-and-white-checked gathering place for friends and family and, without question, Dean’s “happy place.” Dean was married for 65 years to his Charlevoix High School sweetheart, Joyce (Cunningham). Together they built a remarkable partnership that lasted until Joyce’s death on January 1, 2023. Joyce and Deano. Dean and Joyce. They were inseparable. Their love for each other was obvious from the beginning. Their story began as classmates at Charlevoix High School, where Dean was a standout athlete in basketball, football and track, earning All-Conference and All-State honors. But athletics was hardly his only talent. Dean also found time for leading roles in school plays, serving as an editor of the senior yearbook, the Crimson Flash, singing in the choir. He picked up his signature ukulele and never put it down. He was one of the inaugural inductees into the Charlevoix High School Hall of Fame. Joyce, of course, was always his biggest cheerleader. And she was forever Dean’s queen—an actual Homecoming Queen and Venetian Festival Queen. They began their family while attending Central Michigan University, where Dean earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees while playing four years of basketball. Two kids, married housing, weekend odd jobs – their college days were a challenge well beyond studying. It was there that the great themes of Dean’s life—education and athletics and family—began to intertwine into the lasting legacy he and Joyce went on to create. Dean and Joyce raised three children, Chris Davenport Way (husband Mike, Charlevoix), Terry Davenport (wife Lisa, Seattle) and Jodi Cole Davenport (Springfield IL). The family grew over the years adding 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. They were his favorite team. Dean began his career as a high school teacher and coach, with stops in Mt. Pleasant, Petoskey, Grant and Traverse City before moving into the college ranks. He coached and taught at Central Michigan, California State and Iowa Wesleyan before eventually landing at Ferris State University, where he would become, forever and proudly, a Bulldog. For 23 years, Dean coached multiple sports at Ferris and eventually became Director of Athletics during a remarkable period of success. For 15 consecutive years, Ferris teams won the coveted Presidents Cup for outstanding performance across men’s and women’s conference sports. Dean authored numerous articles for athletic and coaching publications, served on multiple NCAA sports committees and became a respected presence and voice in collegiate athletics. He was inducted into the Ferris State Athletic Hall of Fame. But perhaps Dean’s most visible—and enduring—Ferris State legacy came in 1993, when he commissioned the Bulldog logo that continues to represent Ferris State athletics today. The logo has certainly stood the test of time, even being voted the “Best Sports Logo in Michigan” by the Detroit Free Press, beating out the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings and even the Lions. Dean took particular pride in that big yellow Bulldog logo. He was rarely seen in public without one somewhere on his clothing, and he loved nothing more than when a passerby spotted it and called out, “Go Dawgs!” He would smile. Every time. And probably share a few stories. Even after retirement, Dean and Joyce remained fixtures at Ferris State athletic events. Basketball, hockey, women’s volleyball—it didn’t matter. If the Bulldogs were playing, chances were good that Dean and Joyce would be in “their seats,” cheering from the stands. But every year, as the college sports season wound down, Dean and Joyce would load up the family and head back “up north.” Back to Charlevoix. For 18 summers, Dean served as the City of Charlevoix’s summer recreation director, a job that seemed almost custom-designed for him. His days were spent running the beaches, lifeguards and summer swim lesson program, while evenings found him at the ballfields overseeing men’s, women’s and youth softball. There where organized tennis and golf lessons for all ages. Even an annual track and field meet for boys and girls, complete with a ribbon ceremony. He loved the activity and the competition, but most of all he loved creating opportunities for people to get together, be active and have fun. He was instrumental in expanding the programming of Charlevoix’s famous Venetian Festival, adding competitions in a dozen sports ranging from tennis and pickleball to croquet and cornhole. And Dean didn’t just organize the fun—he played it. In their 80s, Dean and Joyce knocked off the defending champions to win the highly competitive doubles croquet tournament. He proudly credited Joyce for all the winning shots. His contributions were recognized in 2013 when he was honored as Venetian Festival Grand Marshal. But for all the young athletes Dean touched over the years, perhaps his most enduring contribution began when he and Joyce accepted a challenge from a group of local leaders and golfers to address a noticeable scarcity of young players on area golf courses. The Charlevoix County Junior Golf Association was founded in 1993 teaching children ages 8 to 16 not only the game of golf, but also the values that Dean believed mattered far more than a scorecard. Over the next 30 years the association has introduced more than 2,000 young people to golf, provided college scholarships to graduating seniors and created a community of adult mentors who have helped generations of young people learn life lessons that extend well beyond the golf course. The program continues to serve families throughout the region, earning recognition as one of the top 20 junior golf programs in America. Dean was particularly proud of that legacy. And it was a fitting one. Because Dean Davenport never believed sports were just about a win-loss record. They were about building character and developing life skills—resilience, self-confidence, teamwork, discipline, friendship and, occasionally, arguing over a close call. If Dean was involved, there was almost certainly going to be a little friendly competition. As their children grew up and became parents themselves, the grandchildren soon learned the Davenport summer cottage traditions. For years every summer like-aged cousins were teamed together and hosted for weeks of “Camp Gramp.” Joyce outfitted them in annual team-color T-shirts and helped teach the next generation everything from tennis and golf to croquet, volleyball and all the cottage favorites. Yes, everything was organized. And competitive. But all 10 grandchildren will attest that those summers were formative—and are now among their most treasured memories. After Joyce passed away, Dean spent winters in his “apartment” at American House on Charlevoix’s north side. Naturally, he had ideas and quickly became the unofficial activity director. Soon he was organizing day trip tours - ‘Dean’s Drives” - where he would get the residents out touring in the home’s van and taking the mic to tell all about the historical Charlevoix highlights like a tour guide. There were movie nights out at the theater, dances with a DJ, scrapbooking lessons, card tournaments. He was always working on the next idea to keep people active, connected and engaged. That was Dean. A teacher who kept teaching long after he left the classroom. A coach who knew the score was rarely the most important thing. A Bulldog who wore the logo with pride. A community leader who never seemed to run out of ideas or energy. A husband who adored his queen. A dad, grandfather and great-grandfather who believed that showing up—and getting everyone involved—was a pretty good way to live. His life was measured not simply in years, but in seasons, teams, students, athletes, friends and family. And he spent his final summer exactly where he wanted to be: at the cottage on Lake Charlevoix, surrounded by the place and the people he loved. Another summer. Another chapter. And, knowing Dean, probably another game that needed organizing. Go Dawgs. To share in celebrating Dean’s life, memorial contributions can be made by check to the Charlevoix Junior Golf Association, 213 Nettleton Street, Charlevoix MI 49720. Arrangements are in the care of the Charlevoix Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign his online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com |
