Individual Details
Forrest Butler Dewey
(12 Oct 1909 - 20 Nov 1981)
Wichita Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, Saturday, November 21, 1981, Page 19, Col. 1: Dewey, 72, Innovative Policeman. By Kris Hansen, Staff Writer. Forrest Butler Dewey, retired police major and former vice president of the Union National Bank, died Friday. Dewey, 72, was an innovator and administrator and was responsible for many of the advances of the Wichita police department during his 26 years of service, said Ken Duckworth emergency communications head who had worked under Dewey for eight years.
Dewey streamlined record keeping, helped establish uniform crime reporting, and ordered the force's first police cruisers with automatic transmissions, said Duckworth. "He was always looking for new innovations, things that would make the job easier, make the police more effective," Duckworth said. Dewey grew up on a farm outside Cheney and attended Wichita University for a few years before opening a barbershop. He joined the police force as a patrolman in 1934, but didn't give up his clippers.
Dewey retired from the police force as a major in 1960 and became vice-president of the Union National Bank, said his son, Tom. Dewey handled many tasks, including running the bank's Pavilion branch, before retiring in 1974.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Wichita Consistory, Scottish Rite Temple, and at 3:30 p.m., Vinita Cemetery, Cheney.
Survivors include his wife, Doris; sons Tom and David, both of Wichita, Stephen of Ringwood, Okla.; daughters, DeAnn Haag, Marsha Haag, both of Wichita; brother, Al of Garden City; sister Doris Carter of Syracuse. A memorial has been established with the First Church of Christian Science.
Dewey streamlined record keeping, helped establish uniform crime reporting, and ordered the force's first police cruisers with automatic transmissions, said Duckworth. "He was always looking for new innovations, things that would make the job easier, make the police more effective," Duckworth said. Dewey grew up on a farm outside Cheney and attended Wichita University for a few years before opening a barbershop. He joined the police force as a patrolman in 1934, but didn't give up his clippers.
Dewey retired from the police force as a major in 1960 and became vice-president of the Union National Bank, said his son, Tom. Dewey handled many tasks, including running the bank's Pavilion branch, before retiring in 1974.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Wichita Consistory, Scottish Rite Temple, and at 3:30 p.m., Vinita Cemetery, Cheney.
Survivors include his wife, Doris; sons Tom and David, both of Wichita, Stephen of Ringwood, Okla.; daughters, DeAnn Haag, Marsha Haag, both of Wichita; brother, Al of Garden City; sister Doris Carter of Syracuse. A memorial has been established with the First Church of Christian Science.
Events
| Birth | 12 Oct 1909 | Vinita, Kingman Co., Kansas |  | ||
| Marriage | 6 Jul 1930 | Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kansas - Doris Lavern "Dana" Van Fossen | | ||
| Death | 20 Nov 1981 | Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kansas | | ||
| Burial | Vinita Cemetery, Lansdowne, Kingman Co., Kansas | |
Families
| Spouse | Doris Lavern "Dana" Van Fossen (1910 - 2006) |
| Child | Tom Dewey ( - ) |
| Child | David Dewey ( - ) |
| Child | DeAnn Dewey ( - ) |
| Child | Marsha Dewey ( - ) |
| Child | Stephen Kent Dewey (1939 - 2008) |
Endnotes
1. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
2. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
3. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
4. Find A Grave.