Donald J. Dean, Jr. (Umpa), age 78 of Ocean City, MD and Tamarac, FL, passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2020 at his home in FL.
Don was born on June 6, 1941 in Towson, MD. He attended Towson High School, Towson, MD and University of Maryland, College Park, MD. He was extremely athletic with skills in wrestling, track, cross country, high diving and gymnastics and he was a member of the University of Maryland Gymkhana Troupe. He started his professional career in the POLARIS Support division of Vitro Laboratories and received commendation for his contributions to the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile program. He was recruited from college by Harry T. Campbell & Sons in Baltimore where he started as a Project Manager and worked his way up to Vice President of Asphalt Plants and Paving Construction with Redland Genstar. During his tenure, he also served on numerous boards and committees and continued his education and earned a graduate degree in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. If you asked him what he did for a living, he would simply say, “I build roads.”
In addition to Don’s educational and career achievements, his boundless energy and love for Jesus Christ compelled him, starting in the early 1970s and continued until he left this world, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ to nearly everyone he met. He also served with countless Ministries around the world including Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer. Even though he traveled and enjoyed places all over the world, he would say his favorite place is Ocean City, MD where he lived during the summer months.
Don was well known and loved by everyone who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Joanne (nee Schraml Cronin), stepdaughter and son-in-law Amy and Dean Anderson, son Joseph J. Dean, former wife Barbara (nee Stanik Dean) Chandler and their daughter and son-in-law Angela (nee Dean) and Mohamed Ally, grandchildren: Lyndsay Lauer, Eva Ally, Joshua Dean, Daniel Dean, Sarah Dean and Christian Cronin, great grandchildren: Taylor, Kylie, Lyric, Landon, and Audrey, brother and sister-in-law Tom and Betsy Dean, three nephews and aunt Anita DiStefano. He was preceded in death by his parents Donald J. Dean, Sr. and Leah Dean.
Arrangements provided by Kraeer-Fairchild Funeral Home, Fort Lauderdale, FL and Johnson-Fosbrink Funeral Home, Towson, MD. Services held at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, Timonium, MD. Don requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to CBN Ministries. A tribute page has been set up in his memory. https://www.cbn.com/giving/social/livingtribute.aspx?project=16474126&uid=16474122&mname=In+Memory+of+Donald+J.+Dean&mword=&sid=034627