Wilton Kelley Dean was born January 4, 1928 in Wewoka, OK to Steven Evert and Elsie Kelley Dean. He died at the Norman VA Regional Center, November 23, 2004 of complications from Alzheimer's disease. Wilton attended schools in Fitstown, Jessie, Amber and Oklahoma City. He attended college at the University of Maryland and Oscar Rose. Wilton enlisted in the Army in early 1945 and served until 1948. He reenlisted in the Air Force in August 1958 and served until his retirement at McConnell AFB in July 1975. Following his military service he was employed by South Com at Tinker Air Force Base until his final retirement in May 1999. Wilton, called 'Hector' in his younger years by his friends, was a sportsman. He loved any game that required a ball, puck, boat, campfire, rod and reel or gun. Later he began to love flowers and gardening, and then learned the art of cooking. He was good at everything he tried. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Matheson Dean of the home; son Jimmie and wife Janet and their children Shawn and Bryson of Indian Rocks Beach, FL; son, Kelly and wife Linda Rowles Dean and their sons, Jordan and Justin; and son, Kyle and wife Dr. Seana Dean and their children, Kellen and Ainsley; two sisters, Rheba Martin of OKC and Audra Branson of Means, KS; nephews William Branson and wife Shirley and their children of Mead, KS; Robert Dean Branson and wife Esther and their children Dean and Jenny of Kankakee, IL; brother in law, Dr. J.C. Gettys of OKC; niece Ernestine LaFrance and husband Gary and children Terry, Lori and Staci; and his niece Janeen Morse and her husband Gary of IL. Wilton was preceded in death by his parents, Steven and Elsie Dean; brother, Captain Ernest Dean and his wife Phyllis V. Dean; two sisters, Sheba Gettys and Betty Jane Hart and her husband Francis Hart. Visitation will be held on Friday from 8 AM to 8 PM at the Baggerley South Funeral Home. Services will be held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church, 14700 N. May at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 27th, 2004. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memory Gardens on SW 104th and Walker. Baggerley South 5708 S. Western, OKC
Published in The Oklahoman on Nov. 25, 2004