Mary Alice (Lewis) Deen

Mary Alice Lewis Deen, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and loyal friend to many passed away peacefully and went home to her Lord and Savior on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024 at the age of 89.

Mary Alice was born on January 30, 1935 in Herrin, Illinois, a small coal-mining town, to Dr. Willis Ivan and Zoe Elder Lewis. She felt blessed to have been born into a Christian home and raised by parents whose example of caring for others, the sick and needy, instilled in her at an early age a sensitive spirit and a “missions” heart”. Growing up, Mary Alice was active in Sunbeams, Girls in Action, Acteens, and Girl Scouts where she earned the Gold Bar. She loved playing tennis and starred in both the Junior and Senior class high school plays and was a member of the National Honor Society. She graduated from Georgetown College, in Georgetown, Kentucky, where she was president of Sigma Kappa Sorority and was named Dreamgirl of the PKA fraternity. She had a double major in Speech and English and performed the leading roles in several plays. After graduating, she married Dick Deen and taught school while he earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville. During that time, she performed in community theater productions and toured one summer in England with the “Everyman Players” performing at the World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium. Dick brought much joy and adventure to her life as she tried to keep up with him by learning to ski, fly an airplane and ride a motorcycle. After moving to Dallas and starting their family, Mary Alice became involved in PTA and served as room mother for fifteen years. She was a member of the Dallas Theater Center Women’s Committee, The Dallas Symphony League, The Dallas County Medical Auxiliary, The Northcrest Literary Club, Bent Tree Literary Club and served as President of the Farmers Branch Woman’s Club. She also volunteered with Hospice, Meal on Wheels and served on the Brookhaven Medical Center Development Fund Committee and was a board member of the Brookhaven Medical Center Foundation. She loved to cook and entertain and had a catering and cooking school business for several years.

Mary Alice had a strong Christian faith and a deep love for Jesus. She thanked God every day for his grace and love and believed that God had richly blessed her life and it was a joy for her to give him the glory. She was an active and devoted member of Park Cities Baptist Church, where she taught bible classes for 32 years, served as director of Mission Friends, Acteens, the Women’s Missionary Union and President of Women on Mission. She was also the leader of several mission groups through the years including the Emergency Prayer Group, the Prayer Mission Group, and the “Banana Ladies” at Traymore Nursing Home. She was certified in ESL training and taught a weekly English class for Internationals. One of the highlights in her life was teaching English at The Sichuan Union University in Chendu, China for four summers.

Mary Alice will be deeply missed by her three children: John Richard Deen Jr. (Tracey), Paul Thomas Deen, Beth Dike (David), and ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Dr. John “Dick” Richard Deen, her son, Mark Lewis Deen, her parents, Dr. Willis Ivan Lewis and Zoe Elder Lewis, her brother and sister-in law, Ivan and Marlene Lewis and sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and Tom Sloan.

A celebration of Mary Alice’s life will be held at Park Cities Baptist Church, Ellis Chapel on Friday, December 20th at 11:00 AM. Live stream link: pcbcspecialevents.online.church

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Park Cities Baptist Church, VNA Texas, Meals on Wheels and Dallas Baptist University.