Dean 'Dino' Tschirki

Dino Tschirki passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Jan 3, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and selflessness. Born in Forest City, Iowa on October 19, 1941, Dino grew up with a love for adventure and an eye for beauty in the unexpected.

A proud veteran, he served in Vietnam as a radio operator, dedicating his life to his country and to the people who mattered most. After returning home, he headed West to California where, in the early 1970’s, fate brought him to a pool in Tiburon and he met Jan, the love of his life. She agreed to marry him only after her mother threatened to if she didn’t.

Known for his quick smile and easy laughter, Dino found joy in life’s simple pleasures—perfecting a riff on his guitar, casting a line on a quiet lake, or hustling anyone bold enough to challenge him to a game of pool. He was teased about his frugality, which stopped at his pocket book and sat unrivaled against a heart filled with immeasurable generosity, always ready to lend a hand, share wisdom, or give support.

Dino was a mentor to many, particularly through Alcoholics Anonymous, where he coached and listened with great patience and care during his twenty-two years of sobriety. His charismatic nature drew people to him, and set them instantly at ease. Those who knew him well, felt his love through his attention to detail, commitment to friends and family, and his unwavering belief in a Higher Power.

Dino was loved deeply and will live on through his wife Jan; daughters Jessica and Jaime and their partners Dia and Jeremy; his grandchildren Jaidon, Gus, and Jaxon; his step kids Brittany, John, and Andrea; and extended family and friends; Sharon Penning, and The Fab 5, all of whom will carry forward the lessons and love he shared with them.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to his local AA chapter or the Alzheimer’s Association.