Community condolences have begun pouring in after the news that local Viet Nam veteran and Veteran’s advocate Dean Markuson passed away on Friday afternoon at the Veteran’s Hospital in Minneapolis. A long-time figure in the City of Hastings, Markuson, a 20-year veteran of the Army, is best known for heading up Hastings’ branch of the Yellow Ribbon Campaign for many years. After stepping down from that position, Markuson continued his service to veterans and their families by opening the Foss and Swanson Veteran’s Center at 507 Vermillion Street. The Center was to be a place where veterans in need and their families could find resources for assistance and support. In 2021, Markuson donated the facility to Rise Up Recovery as a location for Rise Up to assist people dealing with chemical dependency to receive support and assistance. Dean was very active in the community and was a fierce advocate for veterans. Markuson was 71. Funeral arrangements are pending.
