She was born in Pulaski County, VA the second of four children. The family moved to Fairfax, VA while she was in high school. Shortly afterwards she began working in a Federal Government building in Washington, D.C. where one of her most memorable events was being present for a visit by Queen Elizabeth and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was about this time that she went on a date with Marshal Fox for the first time to see the Washington Senators play against the Boston Red Sox during Ted Williams’ final season. In the summer of 1960 she and Marshal were married and they moved to College Station, TX where upon arriving in sweltering heat to a sparsely furnished apartment without air conditioning she was assured that they could make a home of it; which they did. It was while in Texas that she began serving and teaching in the church, building her legacy of helping others wherever she was needed. The happy couple moved to Glenwood Springs, CO in 1962 and promptly fell in love with the Rocky Mountains (except when Marshal would take her four wheeling on narrow, high elevation mountain passes) making it their home for the next six decades. In addition to raising her two sons, she successfully managed her own businesses of wedding coordinator and floral designer. Her favorite hobby was painting, never quite feeling that she was good at it while her family and friends all wanted to hang one of her paintings in their homes. The paintings most treasured are the childhood portraits which capture the joy and innocence of her sons and of each of her grandchildren. She loved to travel across the country visiting the homes of former US presidents and had visited all 50 states plus 16 foreign countries. In her later years she was quite proud of each of her grandchildren and she relished filling the role of Granna and telling them stories of her childhood.
Sophia is survived by her devoted husband Marshal Dean of 61 years, her sons Joel (Susan) and Mark (Lynet), her five grandchildren Robert, Samantha, Marisa (Jalina), Jessica (Jacob), and Erica (Trenton), four great-grandchildren, her two sisters Gail and Carole (Cam) and numerous nephews, nieces, cousins and close friends throughout the country.
Funeral services will be held 1:30pm Thursday, February 24 at Olinger Funeral with internment afterwards at Crown Hill in Wheat Ridge.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Denver Street School, which held a special place in Sophia’s heart for their mission to provide academic and social/emotional support to students who have struggled in traditional schools.
