Jimmy Wayne Dean

Jimmy Dean of Cary, NC went home to be with his Lord and Saviour on October 30, 2022, surrounded by

his family, after a lengthy battle with pneumonia. Born on January 13, 1945, Jimmy was preceded in

death by his parents, Charlie Lewis Dean Sr. and Emily Huggins Dean, a brother, Charlie Lewis Dean Jr., a

daughter, Kristie Paige Dean, and brothers-in-law Bobby Hamilton and Tommy Keith.

A star athlete from an early age, Jimmy excelled in both baseball and basketball and attended UNC –

Chapel Hill on a baseball scholarship. As an ace pitcher, he defeated NC State in the very first game he

played. A lifelong Tarheel fan, Jimmy lived long enough to see Carolina play in the national

championship game last year and beat Duke not once, but twice. Later in life, his greatest pleasure was

to attend the games in which his grandsons played and be their number one fan. On Friday nights,

following football games, he treated his grandsons and many of their team-mates to a meal. His

generosity was unsurpassed.

A long-time member of Rawls Baptist Church, Jimmy has served as deacon and was currently a Sunday

School Teacher. He sincerely loved his church family. He also loved his classmates from Lafayette High

School and recently attended their 59 th class reunion as class president. Voted Best All Around in High

School, Jimmy was popular with his classmates and remained very close to many of them throughout

the years.

Continuing to work up until his illness, Jimmy was a countertop salesman for Cary Granite, where he

received great satisfaction out of transforming the kitchens and baths of his clients. He will be sadly

missed by his work family.

He is survived by sisters, Billie Hamilton of Kipling, Shirley Keith of Fuquay, and Faye Washington and

husband Pete of Fuquay; his daughters, Julie Dean Dwyer and Amy Dean Thompson and son-in-law, Les

Thompson, of Cary; four grandsons, Russell Dwyer, Ryan Dwyer, Kyle Thompson, Daniel Thompson

and wife, Anniston Thompson; as well as two great-granddaughters, Mia Thompson and Emmy

Thompson; and finally, his beloved dog, Daisy. Jimmy lived to take trips with the family, counting down

the days until vacation, and took his grandsons on many trips of which they will always treasure the

memories.

Visitation will be held at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home in Angier on Thursday, November 3 from 6:00-8:00

p.m. A celebration of life will be held at Rawls Baptist Church in Fuquay-Varina on Friday, November 4th at 1:00 pm,

followed by burial in Rawls Baptist Church Cemetery.