Maureen Dean

December 07, 1925 - April 19, 2017

Maureen Dean Obituary (Age 91) Maureen Monroe Dean, aged 91, died peacefully on April 19, 2017, at her home in Sun City, Arizona. Maureen was born December 7, 1925, in International Falls, Minnesota, the daughter of Ray Monroe and Lilah Leone Franklin. She graduated from Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois, and attended Bradly University, where she majored in art and excelled in choir, performing as a soloist. At Bradley University, she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. In 1947, Maureen married John Virgil Dean in Wheaton, Illinois. They lived in Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois before moving to California in 1960 and finally, settling in Spokane in 1970. They began snow-birding to Arizona in the late 1980s, and Maureen moved there full-time upon the death of her husband in 1998. She took full advantage of Sun City Wests retirement community by joining many art- and sports-related clubs. In addition to raising four sons, Maureen excelled in the arts, including drawing, painting, ceramics, calligraphy, and woodworking. She also thoroughly enjoyed being active and, well into her 80s, played tennis, golf, ping pong, and pickle ball, placing high in many tournaments. She loved classical music and reading novels, and played in several bridge clubs. She also volunteered for the Spokane Alliance for the Mentally Ill, publishing its local newsletter. She loved seeing her children and adored her grandchildren. Maureen was preceded in death by her husband John, and by her brother, David and by a number of other relatives and close friends. Her brother, John passed away five days after Maureen. She is survived by four sons, including Steven (Susan) Dean of Las Vegas, Nevada; Michael Dean of North Bend, Oregon; David Dean of San Francisco, California; and Tom (Cathy) Dean, of Newcastle, Washington; and four grandchildren, including John Cotton Dean, Eric William Dean, Jesse Clayborne Dean, and Shelley Maureen Dean. A memorial service will be held in Spokane, WA on May 20th at 1:00 PM at Heritage Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent in her name to National Alliance on Mental Illness of Spokane, Namispokane.org � To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Maureen, please visit our Tree Store. Read more Events APR 19