Charles Everett Dean

Funeral services for Charles Everett Dean, 92, will be held at 2:00 p.m. on June 8, 2011 at the First Baptist Church of Gilmer, Texas, with Dr. David Jenkins, Larry Osborne and Bro. Marian Palmer officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, with Brother Wayne Norvell presiding. Mr. Dean passed away in Gilmer, Texas on June 6, 2011 following a long illness. A native of Upshur County, Everett Dean was born May 8, 1919 to the late Jerry and Maggie Dean of Simpsonville. He attended elementary schools in rural Upshur County, and graduated from Gilmer High School in 1936. He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the 2nd Special CB Battalion in the South Pacific. He married Rachel Jo Bowden of the Bettie community on December 12, l945, and she survives him. Dean served as County Judge of Upshur County for almost 21 years, beginning in 1974, following that with service as Mayor of Gilmer for another 8 years. During his five terms as county judge, he spearheaded many important projects for the county. He considered the construction and completion of the Upshur County Criminal Justice Center in 1986 to be his main accomplishment while in office. He was also instrumental in establishing Indigent Health Care Offices, the Economic Development Office, a Primary Health Care Clinic, Senior Citizen Transportation System, a rural fire prevention district, as well as the construction of the new Upshur County Library and the implementation of a 911 emergency telephone system. As Mayor of Gilmer, Dean participated in groundbreaking ceremonies for Lake Gilmer, and vast improvements were made to the water and sewer system and the local airport. The Main Street downtown revitalization program took place during his term as Mayor, and he often talked of his enjoyment in seeing his hometown beautified in this manner. He was honored as Outstanding Citizen of Upshur County in 1995. Judge Dean was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Gilmer, where he was a deacon and served on numerous committees through the years. He also served for several years on the East Texas Council of Governments, as well as various governmental committees statewide, and was a former member and Paul Harris Fellow of the Gilmer Rotary Club. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Gerald Dean and John Edward Dean; and three sisters, Ella Mae Harris, Margie Mangum, and Jerianne Thweatt. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Rachel Jo Bowden Dean; son and daughter-in-law, Eddie and Linda Dean of Arlington, TX; daughter and son-in-law, Leanne and Stephen Way of Gilmer; six grandchildren and spouses, Lesa Malott and Mitch of Nacogdoches, Lacy Black and Thad of Gilmer, Ryan Dean and Jennifer of Fort Worth, Amanda Hosni and Paul of Keller, Lindsey Way of College Station and Matt Way of College Station; seven great-grandchildren, Mallory and Madison Malott, Hudson and Ella Hosni, Callie Black, and Miles and Caroline Dean; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Virginia Dean of Gilmer; sisters Winnie Kennedy of Gladewater and Rose Thacker of Gilmer; a sister-in-law Mary Jo Dean of Gilmer, and a brother-in-law Harry Thweatt of Amarillo. He is also survived by a loving host of nieces and nephews. Serving as pallbearers will be grandsons Ryan Dean, Paul Hosni, Matt Way, Mitch Malott, Thad Black, along with Billy R. Dean, Terry J. Dean, and David Gaddis. Honorary pallbearers will include members of the Workers Sunday School Class and the Thomas Sunday School Class. Other honorary pallbearers include Johnny Hamberlin and former Upshur County Commissioners that served with Judge Dean. He was well-known for his low-key, stabilizing influence in local governmental politics and his strong Christian influence in his community. He will be greatly missed as a loving "Husband", "Daddy" and "PapPa" to his family. Visitation will be held on Tuesday night, June 7, 2011 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer. The family requests that memorials be made to a charity of your choice. They also would like to offer a special "thanks" to the staff of Kinsman Home Health, Heart to Heart Hospice, the workers of Comfort Keepers, and especially Patti Harris for their devoted care of our loved one during his illness.