Published: May 12, 2008 12:22 am            

Enid businessman Ladusau named 2007-08 Oklahoma Funeral Director

It began to dawn on Dean Ladusau something was up when he saw his daughter at a meeting of Oklahoma Funeral Director’s Association last month.

When Ladusau, who owns and operates Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home in Enid, was awarded as Oklahoma Funeral Director of the year for 2007-08, he knew why his friends and family were there.

“I was real surprised,” the 82-year-old said. “It’s amazing.”

This was the first time in 58 years the funeral director has received the award, which is given by a group of his peers throughout the state.

Those peers were not surprised, as Ladusau’s own motto lends evidence to his work ethic: “When a task is once begun, never leave it ’til it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all.

Ladusau grew up in Garber and attended high school in Enid — with his twin brother, Don — where he was a member of the 1943 state basketball championship team. He enrolled at OU and also played basketball there before enlisting in the Navy and serving during World War II. When he returned home, in 1946, he attended mortuary college in Cincinnati.

“I came back and went into the mortuary business,” he explains. “At that time the requirement was nine months, but I took a year. That’s what the college offered.”

Ladusau’s first job was with Henninger-Allen Funeral Home. He drove an ambulance after his apprenticeship, a service offered by most funeral homes at the time.

“Back in those days all funeral homes had an ambulance service,” he said. “For 27 years I drove an ambulance as part of the service.”

Ladusau said the ambulance service was “phased out” throughout the years because of regulations and requirements.

“Back in those days, we had a lot of accident calls. Our main calls were taking mothers and babies home,” he said, explaining hospital stays once were much longer for new mothers. “We took a lot of mothers and babies home.”

Today, even without the ambulances, Ladusau said he enjoys his job because of the people.

“That’s one of the things I like. The many friends I’ve made and the families I’ve taken care of.”

He said he enjoys his work and wouldn’t change careers.

“I like the funeral business,” he said. “If I had it to do over again, I’d do it over again.

“The funeral bus-iness is an interesting business. You don’t get bored in it.”

He said after the kids were raised, his wife, Mary Lou, who died in 2000, came to work with him.

“She was my right-hand lady.”

Ladusau said one of the toughest things about his job is caring for children who have died.

He said it was difficult when polio still plagued children.

“Kids were playing baseball and then were dying the next day.”

In his spare time, he said, he enjoys golfing at courses throughout the state.

“Golf is a good game,” he said. “It’s a game for all ages.”

In the years he’s played golf, Ladusau’s hit one hole-in-one but continues to play the game his father and brother also enjoyed.

“My twin was an excellent golfer,” he said. “Dad used to go every Sunday after church. He was an excellent golfer.”