Robert “Ray” Dean passed away on Sunday, November 13, 2011 due to heart failure. He will be missed by many, but our grief is lightened by the knowledge that he is once again able to walk the pastures he loved so much with God at his side. Ray was born on February 15, 1930 in Coleman County, Texas to Albert and Rubye Dean. He served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1948 – 1952 during the Korean War. He married Bobby June Windham of Bangs, Texas on October 25, 1952.
Always a proponent for education, Ray was the first in his family to attend and graduate from college. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree. He was a member of the Tau Beta Pi and the Theta Kappa Nu Fraternities. The majority of his professional career was spent in the Dallas area with Ling Temco Vought, Inc. (LTV) and Standard Manufacturing Company. Ray retired from Standard Manufacturing Company in 1991 and returned to the Brownwood area, to the land he loved so much. Ray began a new career as a cattle rancher with the brand of Lightning D.
Ray showed his faith in God by his service to the churches he attended throughout his lifetime. From a Sunday school teacher, to church Elder, to building committee chair, to treasurer, and softball coach, Ray unselfishly served his church and his God.
Ray always had a love of sports. As a young man he played baseball when ever and where ever there were enough men to play. Ray will always be known to hundreds of men as Coach Dean. For several decades Ray coached little league football and baseball in the Dallas area. The highlight of his coaching career was winning the Sandy Koufax World Series Championship the summer of 1973 with a record of 45 wins, 4 loses and 1 tie with the 4A Lions in the Boys Baseball Incorporated (BBI) league.
Ray was preceded in death by his Father and Mother: Albert and Rubye (Casey) Dean of Coleman County, Texas; Sisters Helen Haynes of Coleman, Texas and Ruth Maynor of Brownwood, Texas; and Brother Rodney Dean of Santa Anna, Texas.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years: Bobby Dean of Brownwood, Texas; Five Children: Kit Dean of Bangs, Texas, Dinah Barrilleaux of Duncanville, Texas, Grady Dean of Irving, Texas, Casey Dean of Chico, Texas, and Marie Warwick of Houston, Texas; Seven Grand Children: Wyndham Dean of Bangs, Texas, Jenny Dean, Valerie Lund of Arlington, Texas, Monica Green of Flower Mound Texas, Sabrina Barrilleaux of Flower Mound, Texas, Jared Dean of Trophy Club, Texas, and Owen Warwick of Ft. Worth, Texas; Five Great Grand-Children: William, Dean, and James Lund of Arlington, Texas; Price Warwick of Ft. Worth, Texas.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Davis Morris Funeral Home, 800 Center Ave, Brownwood, Texas. Funeral services will be held Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 11:00 am at First United Methodist Church, 304 S. 1st St., Bangs, Texas. Ray requested that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers. Please use acknowledgment address of 1855 Green Tree Lane, Duncanville, TX 75137.
