Rockford man drowns in floodwater, loved ones celebrate his life

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Dean Gulbranson was trapped inside a pickup truck and pronounced dead after being swept into Keith Creek, and his loved ones are struggling with the loss.

Gulbranson , 76, as described by those close to him, was a kind-hearted man who wore a smile on his face at all times. As a Vietnam veteran, Gulbranson spent his post-war years at the Veteran’s Drop-In Center in Rockford. It was there that Gulbranson met other Stateline veterans, shared his war stories and made meaningful connections. The Center also brought Gulbranson his best friend of nine years, Brian Walkowiak, who voiced what he believes were the best parts of their friendship.

“The best thing about him, he was just a good brother and a friend who would help you do anything,” Walkowiak said. “His character was kind of strict and business oriented and goal oriented to get things done. He was a good friend.”

Walkowiak shared his struggles with losing Gulbranson, including when he received a call with the news.

“I was at work, and it was like 10:30 that morning or whatever, and a friend of mine called me up and told me what happened,” Walkowiak said. “I could hardly believe it because two days before that I stopped over and we watched a movie or something. Another friend of mine passed last year and now this. I lost my two close, close friends in a short period of time. It’s like that old saying, ‘See you tomorrow if the creek don’t rise.'”

Gulbranson’s neighbor, Lana McCants, said she wants people to remember him in a positive way.

“Remember Dean as the great, friendly helpful guy because that’s what he was,” McCants said. “Everybody has people that don’t like them, but I don’t think he had anybody that didn’t like him because everybody was so happy to see him whenever he came around.”

McCants and Walkowiak shared had some the community.

“You can only live once, you know,” Walkowiak said. “I don’t know, just certain things make me think about everything all over again in my life since this happened like this. Don’t take anything for granted. Tell people you love them. He was extremely healthy. It was just so sudden.”

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