Dr. Dean S. Roussos

Dean S. Roussos, PhD, age 92, of Boardman, OH, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at Canfield Place Assisted Living with his youngest daughter and caregiver, Nancy, by his side. He was born in Newton, IA on September 23,1930 to Steven and Penelope (Katsouras) of Kiparissia and Andritsana, Greece respectively.

Dean graduated in 1948 from Newton High School, after which he worked at his family's restaurant, Steven's Grill in Newton, IA and then at the Maytag factory for several years. He voluntarily enlisted in the US Marines in 1951 until honorably discharged in 1953. He was in active duty in Korea as a Field Radio Mechanic II and attained the rank of Staff Sargent. He was very proud of his service to our country and spoke of it often.

After being discharged from the Marines, the GI Bill gave him a chance to pursue higher education and he returned to Iowa and enrolled in the University of Iowa, majoring in Physics. While in the Physics Department he was among a small group of students helping Dr. James Van Allen work on his project, pouring over printouts from the early "Explorer" satellites spread out across the entire gymnasium floor, to extract data used by Dr Van Allen in his groundbreaking discovery of the "Van Allen Radiation Belts," which made human space flight possible. Dean then decided to switch majors to Marketing, describing Physics as “too much math!!”

He earned his BS in Marketing in 1958, after which he continued on to earn a Master's and PhD, all at the University of Iowa. He was the recipient of a Sun Oil Scholarship and graduated with his Doctorate in Marketing in 1960. He also began teaching at Parsons College in 1960, in Fairfield, IA while finishing his doctorate and raising 4 children with his wife. The summer of 1960 was his first experience of teaching Marketing, Sales, Statistics, Logistics and Economics at Parsons. The next year he also undertook duties as Dean of Students in the Department of Business. Student class sizes were often large he said, leading to long days and nights. He was, according to the Parsons Alumni Newsletter, a much beloved and liked professor. However, even after enrollment at Parsons had expanded while he was there, the college ended up closing in 1973.

Prior to the Parsons closure, Dean sought out opportunities elsewhere, and he and his wife Rosemarie made the decision to bring their family of six to Youngstown, OH to join the faculty at Youngstown State University in 1971 as a professor in the Williamson School of Business. There he was a full professor and professor emeritus, teaching full time for over 30 years, and limited-service part time following his retirement in 1999. He was a member of the YSU Faculty Basketball Team for a time, held the Dean of Students title, and taught in the Executive MBA program in addition to teaching his other classes. Many former students have commented that he was a wonderful role model, very effective teacher and was well admired.

Perhaps his greatest accomplishment outside of teaching was his collaboration and co-authoring of Compete: A Dynamic Marketing Simulation in 1985. This was a groundbreaking dynamic marketing computer simulation program used in academia that allowed students to learn cause and effect in real time. This book also led him to co-author numerous other books and publications in the growing field of educational computer simulation in marketing and business.

He met and married the love of his life, Rosemarie Ann Filip, also a former Marine, on November 28, 1953 in Norfolk, VA whom he adored and cared for until her passing in 2014. She was instrumental in supporting him and raising their family while he pursued his education and taught. They shared and are survived by four children, Christine Kalhoun (Keith Downie), Constance Ashworth (John Williams), Steven Roussos (preceded in death by Terry Turner) and Nancy Roussos (Jeff Baker); grandchildren Sabrina Ashworth and Jason Roussos; and special family friends, Jan Morrison and Kathy Konopka. He was also preceded in death by his grandchildren, Jesse Kalhoun and Curtis Ashworth.

Dean was a very loving, generous and kind person who will be dearly missed. Helping and loving his family and friends was of utmost importance to him, as was his love of all animals, especially the dogs in his life, Shelby, Gabby and Capone. He also stressed the importance of education and doing your best. He was a very humble and calm soul who said to never lose your temper because then you've lost the fight.

Family to receive friends from 4:00-6:30 pm on Friday, October 7, 2022 at Cremation & Funeral Service by Gary Silvat, Inc.,3896 Oakwood Ave., Austintown, OH 44515. Share memories or send condolences by visiting cremateohio.com.

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