Donna Maria Dean was born on November 4, 1953 in Washington DC to Ruth Aurelia Johnson and Boyce Dean. She was a very happy child, over time developing a love for art, music and dance. She enjoyed playing piano, singing and absolutely loved traveling and going on vacations. As a young adult, she attended and graduated from Marymount University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities. This enabled her to work for the Department of Defense as a civilian worker. During this time, she also developed a love of writing. A lover of food as well as a self-professed gourmet cook, she began to build an extensive collection of recipes.
During this time, she met Charles R. Hammond. They enjoyed long walks, dancing, going on trips and cooking together. Together, they had a daughter named Juliene. After leaving the Department of Defense, Donna went on to work as a Teacher’s Assistant for many years. On October 5, 2019, Donna Maria Dean passed away. She leaves behind her daughter, Juliene Aurelia Dean, Charles R. Hammond and a host of family and friends. We’ll miss your smiles, your laughter and your goofy sense of humor.