Dean G. Dorsey, 75 of Cozad, founder of the Tri-City Tribune newspaper and radio station KAMI-FM (104.5) died May 30, 2013 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

Visitation will be held Monday, June 3, 2013; 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday, June 4, 2013; from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.at Blase Memorial Chapel in Gothenburg.

A private family graveside service will be held at the Gothenburg Cemetery.

Dean was born at Lexington on June 11, 1937, the son of Marion and Helen Dorsey. Dean was raised in the Lexington area and graduated from LHS 1955. He moved to Cozad just a few days after receiving his high school diploma.

Initially, he was a door-to-door bakery salesman for Evans Bakery. He joined the Cozad Local newspaper staff as an advertising salesman in 1956, and later became a sportswriter. He founded the Tri-City Tribune, one of Central Nebraska's first offset-produced newspapers on Nov.16, 1965. Later he became publisher of The FREE PRESS, a weekly publication serving communities on the Nebraska Hi-Line. The publications received over 350 Nebraska Press Association and Ak-Sar-Ben/Conagra awards through the years, including the recent General Excellence award by the NPA. Dean was named as the Master Editor-Publisher by the Nebraska Press Association in 2009. The award is the highest attainable in the Nebraska newspaper profession. Dean and his wife, Nancy, purchased KAMI-AM radio in 1981, and established operation of the 100,000 watt KAMI-FM station in August 1983. He sold his broadcast interests in 1985.

Dean was an avid sportsman. He officiated high school and collegiate football and basketball games for about 25 years. He officiated the first ever Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game in 1968 and also worked the 1975 Nebraska Shrine Bowl. He was one of nine officials in the United States selected to officiate the National Junior College Basketball Championships in Hutchinson, Kansas in 1976. He also worked several Nebraska State High School Basketball Tournament games.

He was among the organizers of the Cozad Jaycee Chapter and served as a Nebraska Jaycee state vice president. He was also a member of the Cozad Chamber of Commerce board of directors, served as a Trustee for the Cozad Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 2250, where he founded the monthly Elks Student of the month honor, was a member of the Cozad Lions Club and served as president of the Cozad Development Corporation. He served as the chairman of the Midstates Federation and AAU sponsored track and field championships which were held at Haymaker Stadium in Cozad for 20 years. He was also honored as the 'Cozad Sports Fan Of-The-Year' and was named as a 'Distinguished Service' Award winner by the Nebraska School Activities Association in 1997.

Dean and his son Corbey shared their interest and passion in thoroughbred race horses as owners at numerous thoroughbred race tracks across the Untied States.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and one brother.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy of Cozad; one son, Corbey (Amber) of Kearney; grandson, Kaeden Dorsey and granddaughter, Keagan Dorsey of Kearney and one sister, Francis Freeman of California.

A memorial fund has been established in Dean's name.

To leave a private condolence on the online guest book, go to www.blasestrauser.com. Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.