Dean C. McCauley, 70, of Lake in the Hills, passed away peacefully on July 6, 2026, at his home with his family by his side.
Dean was born on April 27, 1956, the son of Charles and Loretta (McNally) McCauley. On February 11, 1979, he married the love of his life, Judy, beginning a marriage filled with love, laughter, and unwavering devotion.
Dean spent his career with Northwest Airlines and later Delta Airlines. He truly enjoyed his work and looked forward to going to work each day. Born and raised in Chicago, Dean attended Gordon Technical High School and remained proud of his Chicago roots throughout his life.
Dean had a passion for collecting and took great pride in his many collections, including Disney pins, pirate memorabilia, and Christmas villages. He had a generous spirit and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Dean also enjoyed traveling and exploring new places. Above all else, Dean cherished his family. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend whose kindness, loyalty, and warm heart will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Dean is survived by his beloved wife, Judy McCauley; his children, Lauren (Anthony) McCauley, Timothy (Sarah) McCauley, and Kelly (Brandon) Deutsch; his treasured grandchildren, Maximus, Anna, Isaac, Morgan, and Katherine; and his brother-in-law, Dennis Gibula.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Loretta McCauley, and by his sister, Patrice Gibula.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the 10:00 a.m. Funeral Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church, 10307 Dundee Road, Huntley.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the McCauley family.
For further information, please contact DeFiore Funeral Home at 847-515-8772 or visit www.defiorefuneral.com to leave an online condolence.
Please leave a video condolence by entering your name and click the "Record" button below. You can always preview your video prior to submitting it. Please note that you may receive a prompt to grant DefioreFuneral access to your camera. This is only temporary and will be solely for the duration of recording your condolence message.
Dear Judy and family, Chris and I were very saddened to learn of Dean's passing. Even though we had lost touch in the past, we were happy to reconnect with both of you at your house several years ago and got to see one of his treasured collections. We could see it gave him great joy to share it. Our thoughts are with you and your family during this time. We are wishing you peace. Rest in peace Dean, it was a pleasure to have known you.