By Mark Zaborney
Blade Staff Writer
Richard Norton Dean, a music educator and choral director throughout northwest Ohio, who was a leader of the performing arts in his longtime hometown, Waterville, died December 24, 2021 in Hospice of Northwest Ohio, South Detroit Avenue. He was 88.
He'd been in declining health the last year and tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital emergency room where he was taken after a fall, his wife, Virginia Dean, said.
When he retired in 2010, from St. Joseph School in Maumee, he'd taught for 52 years, his wife said.
Mr. Dean began his career at Nathan Hale School in central Toledo. For nearly a decade afterward, he taught music and directed choral groups at Waite High School in East Toledo. Precision and interpretation became hallmarks of his choirs as directed them to produce a cohesive sound.
"The fact was he had at least 120 students in every one of his choirs," his wife said.
If a musical phrase wasn't being sung accurately or interpreted properly, he had his choirs - sometimes section by section - work at the phrase until correct.
She recalled thinking as she listened to a student choir he directed perform the song Shenandoah, " It is just as though he turned dials to bring up the melody, to fine tune the whole sound.
"Students were so tuned to what he was doing. It was an amazing talent," his wife said.
"He always went for the superior sound, and he never stopped clawing his way to get it," said Richard Mathey, a Bowling Green State University professor emeritus and longtime choral director, who worked with Mr. Dean's choirs through the years.
Celeste Gettings was in Mr. Dean's Waite choirs from 1965-69, and sang in the Waite High School Alumni Choir he led and in his Richard Dean Chorale.
"He made it fun no matter what, and we had plenty of rehearsals," Ms. Gettings said. "We never thought of it as a class. We thought of it as a fun group to sing with."
He taught music and led choirs for a decade at Anthony Wayne High School, where he also coached cross country and taught driver education. His greatest satisfaction came, he told The Blade in 1978, as he watched students mature musically.
"The thin, timid voice would often bloom into a rich, full voice, seemingly overnight - an exciting thing for the director and student," Mr. Dean said in 1978.
He took a break from teaching for several years, during which he became corporate tour and travel director for the company that owned the former Sheraton Westgate. He returned to teach and direct choirs at North Central High School in Williams County. He later taught in the Flat Rock, Mich., and Ottawa Hills schools and at Blessed Sacrament School.
Mr. Dean, a Waterville resident since 1956, founded the Music in the Park concert series, organized annual Roche de Boeuf Day parades, and in the 1960s persuaded the Waterville Playshop to add musicals to its offerings. He was named "citizen of the year" in 1992 by the Waterville Chamber of Commerce, several months after BGSU recognized him as an accomplished graduate in the performing arts.
He also directed church choirs through the years, including Waterville United Methodist Church and St. Lucas Lutheran Church, and such choral groups as the Toledo Swiss Singers.
He was born June 25, 1933, in Bowling Green to Mary Katherine and Lloyd Dean. A graduate of Bowling Green High School, he was inspired by his choral director there, Roy Hilty. He was an Eagle Scout and a 1958 graduate of BGSU.
Surviving are his wife, the former Virginia McGhee, whom he married June 17, 1956; sons David Dean, Christopher Dean, and Thomas "Ted" Dean; daughter, HazeAnn Cunningham; 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
A musical tribute is being planned, likely to be held in April, his wife said. Arrangements are by Peinert-Dunn Funeral Home, Waterville.
The family suggests tributes to a Waite High School music scholarship fund being organized in his name or Hospice of Northwest Ohio.
Published by The Blade on Jan. 8, 2022.
Blade Staff Writer
Richard Norton Dean, a music educator and choral director throughout northwest Ohio, who was a leader of the performing arts in his longtime hometown, Waterville, died December 24, 2021 in Hospice of Northwest Ohio, South Detroit Avenue. He was 88.
He'd been in declining health the last year and tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital emergency room where he was taken after a fall, his wife, Virginia Dean, said.
When he retired in 2010, from St. Joseph School in Maumee, he'd taught for 52 years, his wife said.
Mr. Dean began his career at Nathan Hale School in central Toledo. For nearly a decade afterward, he taught music and directed choral groups at Waite High School in East Toledo. Precision and interpretation became hallmarks of his choirs as directed them to produce a cohesive sound.
"The fact was he had at least 120 students in every one of his choirs," his wife said.
If a musical phrase wasn't being sung accurately or interpreted properly, he had his choirs - sometimes section by section - work at the phrase until correct.
She recalled thinking as she listened to a student choir he directed perform the song Shenandoah, " It is just as though he turned dials to bring up the melody, to fine tune the whole sound.
"Students were so tuned to what he was doing. It was an amazing talent," his wife said.
"He always went for the superior sound, and he never stopped clawing his way to get it," said Richard Mathey, a Bowling Green State University professor emeritus and longtime choral director, who worked with Mr. Dean's choirs through the years.
Celeste Gettings was in Mr. Dean's Waite choirs from 1965-69, and sang in the Waite High School Alumni Choir he led and in his Richard Dean Chorale.
"He made it fun no matter what, and we had plenty of rehearsals," Ms. Gettings said. "We never thought of it as a class. We thought of it as a fun group to sing with."
He taught music and led choirs for a decade at Anthony Wayne High School, where he also coached cross country and taught driver education. His greatest satisfaction came, he told The Blade in 1978, as he watched students mature musically.
"The thin, timid voice would often bloom into a rich, full voice, seemingly overnight - an exciting thing for the director and student," Mr. Dean said in 1978.
He took a break from teaching for several years, during which he became corporate tour and travel director for the company that owned the former Sheraton Westgate. He returned to teach and direct choirs at North Central High School in Williams County. He later taught in the Flat Rock, Mich., and Ottawa Hills schools and at Blessed Sacrament School.
Mr. Dean, a Waterville resident since 1956, founded the Music in the Park concert series, organized annual Roche de Boeuf Day parades, and in the 1960s persuaded the Waterville Playshop to add musicals to its offerings. He was named "citizen of the year" in 1992 by the Waterville Chamber of Commerce, several months after BGSU recognized him as an accomplished graduate in the performing arts.
He also directed church choirs through the years, including Waterville United Methodist Church and St. Lucas Lutheran Church, and such choral groups as the Toledo Swiss Singers.
He was born June 25, 1933, in Bowling Green to Mary Katherine and Lloyd Dean. A graduate of Bowling Green High School, he was inspired by his choral director there, Roy Hilty. He was an Eagle Scout and a 1958 graduate of BGSU.
Surviving are his wife, the former Virginia McGhee, whom he married June 17, 1956; sons David Dean, Christopher Dean, and Thomas "Ted" Dean; daughter, HazeAnn Cunningham; 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
A musical tribute is being planned, likely to be held in April, his wife said. Arrangements are by Peinert-Dunn Funeral Home, Waterville.
The family suggests tributes to a Waite High School music scholarship fund being organized in his name or Hospice of Northwest Ohio.
Published by The Blade on Jan. 8, 2022.
By Mark Zaborney
Blade Staff Writer
Richard Norton Dean, a music educator and choral director throughout northwest Ohio, who was a leader of the performing arts in his longtime hometown, Waterville, died December 24, 2021 in Hospice of Northwest Ohio, South Detroit Avenue. He was 88.
He'd been in declining health the last year and tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital emergency room where he was taken after a fall, his wife, Virginia Dean, said.
When he retired in 2010, from St. Joseph School in Maumee, he'd taught for 52 years, his wife said.
Mr. Dean began his career at Nathan Hale School in central Toledo. For nearly a decade afterward, he taught music and directed choral groups at Waite High School in East Toledo. Precision and interpretation became hallmarks of his choirs as directed them to produce a cohesive sound.
"The fact was he had at least 120 students in every one of his choirs," his wife said.
If a musical phrase wasn't being sung accurately or interpreted properly, he had his choirs - sometimes section by section - work at the phrase until correct.
She recalled thinking as she listened to a student choir he directed perform the song Shenandoah, " It is just as though he turned dials to bring up the melody, to fine tune the whole sound.
"Students were so tuned to what he was doing. It was an amazing talent," his wife said.
"He always went for the superior sound, and he never stopped clawing his way to get it," said Richard Mathey, a Bowling Green State University professor emeritus and longtime choral director, who worked with Mr. Dean's choirs through the years.
Celeste Gettings was in Mr. Dean's Waite choirs from 1965-69, and sang in the Waite High School Alumni Choir he led and in his Richard Dean Chorale.
"He made it fun no matter what, and we had plenty of rehearsals," Ms. Gettings said. "We never thought of it as a class. We thought of it as a fun group to sing with."
He taught music and led choirs for a decade at Anthony Wayne High School, where he also coached cross country and taught driver education. His greatest satisfaction came, he told The Blade in 1978, as he watched students mature musically.
"The thin, timid voice would often bloom into a rich, full voice, seemingly overnight - an exciting thing for the director and student," Mr. Dean said in 1978.
He took a break from teaching for several years, during which he became corporate tour and travel director for the company that owned the former Sheraton Westgate. He returned to teach and direct choirs at North Central High School in Williams County. He later taught in the Flat Rock, Mich., and Ottawa Hills schools and at Blessed Sacrament School.
Mr. Dean, a Waterville resident since 1956, founded the Music in the Park concert series, organized annual Roche de Boeuf Day parades, and in the 1960s persuaded the Waterville Playshop to add musicals to its offerings. He was named "citizen of the year" in 1992 by the Waterville Chamber of Commerce, several months after BGSU recognized him as an accomplished graduate in the performing arts.
He also directed church choirs through the years, including Waterville United Methodist Church and St. Lucas Lutheran Church, and such choral groups as the Toledo Swiss Singers.
He was born June 25, 1933, in Bowling Green to Mary Katherine and Lloyd Dean. A graduate of Bowling Green High School, he was inspired by his choral director there, Roy Hilty. He was an Eagle Scout and a 1958 graduate of BGSU.
Surviving are his wife, the former Virginia McGhee, whom he married June 17, 1956; sons David Dean, Christopher Dean, and Thomas "Ted" Dean; daughter, HazeAnn Cunningham; 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
A musical tribute is being planned, likely to be held in April, his wife said. Arrangements are by Peinert-Dunn Funeral Home, Waterville.
The family suggests tributes to a Waite High School music scholarship fund being organized in his name or Hospice of Northwest Ohio.
Published by The Blade on Jan. 8, 2022.
Blade Staff Writer
Richard Norton Dean, a music educator and choral director throughout northwest Ohio, who was a leader of the performing arts in his longtime hometown, Waterville, died December 24, 2021 in Hospice of Northwest Ohio, South Detroit Avenue. He was 88.
He'd been in declining health the last year and tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital emergency room where he was taken after a fall, his wife, Virginia Dean, said.
When he retired in 2010, from St. Joseph School in Maumee, he'd taught for 52 years, his wife said.
Mr. Dean began his career at Nathan Hale School in central Toledo. For nearly a decade afterward, he taught music and directed choral groups at Waite High School in East Toledo. Precision and interpretation became hallmarks of his choirs as directed them to produce a cohesive sound.
"The fact was he had at least 120 students in every one of his choirs," his wife said.
If a musical phrase wasn't being sung accurately or interpreted properly, he had his choirs - sometimes section by section - work at the phrase until correct.
She recalled thinking as she listened to a student choir he directed perform the song Shenandoah, " It is just as though he turned dials to bring up the melody, to fine tune the whole sound.
"Students were so tuned to what he was doing. It was an amazing talent," his wife said.
"He always went for the superior sound, and he never stopped clawing his way to get it," said Richard Mathey, a Bowling Green State University professor emeritus and longtime choral director, who worked with Mr. Dean's choirs through the years.
Celeste Gettings was in Mr. Dean's Waite choirs from 1965-69, and sang in the Waite High School Alumni Choir he led and in his Richard Dean Chorale.
"He made it fun no matter what, and we had plenty of rehearsals," Ms. Gettings said. "We never thought of it as a class. We thought of it as a fun group to sing with."
He taught music and led choirs for a decade at Anthony Wayne High School, where he also coached cross country and taught driver education. His greatest satisfaction came, he told The Blade in 1978, as he watched students mature musically.
"The thin, timid voice would often bloom into a rich, full voice, seemingly overnight - an exciting thing for the director and student," Mr. Dean said in 1978.
He took a break from teaching for several years, during which he became corporate tour and travel director for the company that owned the former Sheraton Westgate. He returned to teach and direct choirs at North Central High School in Williams County. He later taught in the Flat Rock, Mich., and Ottawa Hills schools and at Blessed Sacrament School.
Mr. Dean, a Waterville resident since 1956, founded the Music in the Park concert series, organized annual Roche de Boeuf Day parades, and in the 1960s persuaded the Waterville Playshop to add musicals to its offerings. He was named "citizen of the year" in 1992 by the Waterville Chamber of Commerce, several months after BGSU recognized him as an accomplished graduate in the performing arts.
He also directed church choirs through the years, including Waterville United Methodist Church and St. Lucas Lutheran Church, and such choral groups as the Toledo Swiss Singers.
He was born June 25, 1933, in Bowling Green to Mary Katherine and Lloyd Dean. A graduate of Bowling Green High School, he was inspired by his choral director there, Roy Hilty. He was an Eagle Scout and a 1958 graduate of BGSU.
Surviving are his wife, the former Virginia McGhee, whom he married June 17, 1956; sons David Dean, Christopher Dean, and Thomas "Ted" Dean; daughter, HazeAnn Cunningham; 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
A musical tribute is being planned, likely to be held in April, his wife said. Arrangements are by Peinert-Dunn Funeral Home, Waterville.
The family suggests tributes to a Waite High School music scholarship fund being organized in his name or Hospice of Northwest Ohio.
Published by The Blade on Jan. 8, 2022.
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