Dewey Laverne Wiens, age 87, of Alamogordo, New Mexico, passed away surrounded by the love of his family. He was born on June 15, 1939, on the family farm outside of Madrid, Nebraska, to Bernard Wiens and Esther Buller Wiens. He weighed a whopping 12 pounds! His Christian faith was instilled in him at an early age, which carried into his marriage and family life.
On June 15, 1961, he married the love of his life, Elizabeth “Betty” Anne Clegg.
Together they shared a devoted marriage of 65 years, while raising four children and building a lifetime of treasured memories.
Dewey earned a degree in music from the University of Nebraska. Following graduation, he and Betty began their family in Broken Bow, Nebraska, where he taught high school English and music. He soon discovered that teaching was not his true calling and pursued a career in federal civil service. This new career path took Dewey and his family on many adventures, with assignments to several Air Force bases, including Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. In 1979, Dewey moved his family to Alamogordo, serving his remaining career at Holloman Air Force Base until retirement in 1997.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Betty; his children, Deneen Black (Roger), Sharolyn Carlson (Travis), Wynn Wiens, and Kyle Wiens (Julie); nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren, all of whom brought him immense joy and pride.
Dewey was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Annie Wiens.
Dewey will be remembered for his peculiar interests in areas not common to most people. These included his love for, and knowledge of, classic cars, baseball trivia, word puzzles and card playing. He never missed an opportunity to give expert unsolicited advice – all in fun, of course. And if you were ever around him for any length of time, you would have noticed his extreme concern for the proper use of the English language, always ready with a fact, a correction, or a clever turn of phrase. His most beloved passion, however, was barbershop music.
He competed in multiple Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly SPEBSQSA) competitions around the country and founded the Sounds of Enchantment barbershop chapter in Alamogordo.
More than anything, Dewey will be remembered for his humor, quick wit and a deep love for his wife Betty. His legacy of music, joke-telling and sarcasm will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.
A celebration of life will be held July 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Alamogordo Funeral Home in Alamogordo, New Mexico.