Mr. John Albert Dean
John Albert Dean, a native of Evergreen, Ala., was born on April 28, 1928. John was the seventh child of eight children born to the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph B. Dean.
In 1951, John graduated from Conecuh County Training School and was drafted into the United States Armed Forces (Army). After serving five years in the military, John was united in marriage to the late Helen Dean of Greenville, Ala. on January 1, 1956. Of this union two children were born: Kenneth Aaron Dean and Karen Althea Dean. This union continued until Helen’s death in January 1990.
Baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1969, John served as an elder in the Evergreen Congregation for more than 40 years until his untimely death on June 26, 2014. He spent many hours preaching about Jehovah god and during this time assisted a number of people to recognize God’s sovereignty and theocratic order.
In March 1992, John married Berneice Dukes of Pensacola, Florida. Berneice, also a servant of Jehovah God, has three daughters: Brenda, Sandra and Shirley Dukes and two sons: Timothy and the late John Dukes. The blended family shared many memorable moments in time.
John continued to enjoy the rest of his years and days with Berneice traveling to various assemblies and serving faithfully together as witnesses of Jehovah. In the five years preceding his death, John continuously commented on his appreciation for Berneice’s good and devoted care of him during his time of illness.
He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Rosie Dean; brothers Jocephus, James and Woodrow and sisters Alma Dean Salter, Rosie Nell Dean Carson, and Cora Bell Dean.
He leaves to cherish his memories his wife Berneice Dukes Dean, who resides in Evergreen, Alabama; his two adult children: Kenneth Aaron Dean (Niketa) Montgomery, Ala., and Karen Dean Hines (Keith) Fort Mitchell, Ala.; and his four adult stepchildren: Brenda Dukes, Sandra Dukes, Shirley Dukes and Timothy Dukes (Tammy) of Pace and Pensacola, Fla. John has one surviving sister: Althea Dean Lucas who resides in Evergreen, Alabama, and six grandchildren: Shalynda L. Dean Lowe (Andray) Montgomery, Ala., Synterrica S. Dean, Memphis, Tenn., Brent S. Dean, Montgomery, Ala., Zaria A. Dean, Montgomery, Ala., and Kierra and Kim Dukes of Pensacola, Fla. John also leaves three great-grandchildren whom he adored: Laura Kendall Lowe, John Tyler Lowe, and Malik Blackmon.
Aside from a number of other significant relatives, John had a host of nieces and nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews as well as great grand nieces and nephews.
His son summed it up best, stating, “My father was a good man who said what he meant and meant what he said. He was a good family man and believed all people should be treated fairly and just”.