Mary Lou Dean

Mary Lou Dean was born September 11, 1929, in Jones, Oklahoma, to John Edward Dorman and Alta Marie Wagoner Dorman. She died December 8, 2015. Mary Lou Dean was a life-long Oklahoman whose deep family roots reached back to the Oklahoma Land Run. Her grandfathers staked claims in Oklahoma in 1889. She was born on a pecan grove, which was planted by her mother and father. Mary Lou later purchased the pecan grove and lived near it, saying that she had never moved more than a mile from where she was born and that she would do it all over again exactly the same way. She graduated Jones High School just as World War II was ending and attended Oklahoma City University while working at the Oklahoma State Capitol at a job she began while still in high school. She married her life-long partner and husband, Bill V. Dean, Sr., and began her career as a grocer with a store on Northeast 23rd Street. She would later move her retail sales career to the town of Jones, where she owned grocery stores on both the east and west sides of Main Street. Although she spent most of her time in the grocery business, she also worked in other areas, such as the furniture embroidery business. Mary Lou was possessed with ambition to succeed in making a good life for her family. Together with her husband, Bill, who was serving as a police officer for the Oklahoma City Police Department at the time, Mary Lou started a successful grocery business in Jones and invested in farm and rental property. She loved working with her husband to keep track of their cattle, care for the pecan grove, and oversee their farm and rental investments. She enjoyed visiting with her friends and customers, watching the Town of Jones develop, and her lifelong membership in the Jones United Methodist Church where, over the years, she served in positions such as a board member, teacher, and Sunday School Superintendent. One of her favorite activities was meeting with the Crafty Ladies at the Jones United Methodist Church each week to work on fund raising projects and the altar committee. Helping care for Mary Lou in her final illness, Tammie Butler, Kim Smith, Danyelle Henderson, Mary Dobbs, and Karla Ellis spent time sharing life experiences with her. Their kindness and compassionate care for her will always be remembered. We also remember the dedication and kindness of Dr. Satish Kumar, whom she trusted and admired. Her family was first and foremost on her mind. She never tired of caring for, advising, and inspiring her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews to be successful in business, further their education, learn as much as they could, and invest hours of hard work in every endeavor. Even during her illness, she wanted frequent updates on all the activities of her family, church, and friends. She wanted to hear in detail everything that they were doing in business, sports, student council, cheerleading, dance, piano, and band. In addition to their activities, she also expected good grades. She is survived by her daughter Mary Spelman and her husband Jeffery of Edmond, her sons John G. Dean and his wife Susan of Jones, Bill V. Dean, Jr., and his wife Christie of Jones, and her sister-in-law Sybil Dorman. Grandchildren and great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews also survive her, including Aimee Dean-Wilson and her husband Billy, Sean Dean and his wife Ashley, Todd Dean and his wife Dee, Bill V. Dean, III, Mary Megan Dean, Marisa Shafer and her husband Jay, Kerry Lauren Davis and her husband Trent, Abbee Nichole Wilson, Alexander Dean Wilson, Jack Gregory Dean, Kyley Cait Cox, Mary Elizabeth Dean, Marlia Rose Shafer, and Keegan Jeffery Davis. Mary Lou was preceded in death by her husband, Bill V. Dean, Sr.; her parents, John and Alta Dorman; her brother Jack Dorman; her sisters, Rosella Smith and Helen Hogan and her husband Bill; her sisters-in-law Cecile Curtis and Muriel Seebeck; and brothers-in-law Harold Dean, Delbert Dean, Herbert Dean, and Kenneth Dean. Services will be at Bill Eisenhower Chapel at 8805 NE 23rd Street at 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 10, 2015. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Mary Lou Dean to the Jones High School Scholarship Fund in care of Oklahoma City Community Foundation, 1000 N. Broadway Ave., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102 or to the Jones United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 597, Jones, Oklahoma 73049-0597.