Funeral services for Eddie Dean, 62, of 597 Oakland Drive, Allendale, were held 11 a.m. Friday, January 6, 2017, at Mt. Hope Baptist Church, Martin, with Reverend Wayne Bennett officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
On December 30, 2016, God in his infinite wisdom called Brother Eddie “Eddie Boy” Dean, a loving husband, father, son, brother, uncle, cousin and an untiring man of God to his heavenly home. Eddie was the son of Sarah Dean and the late Henry Jay Dean.
He attended Sumter County public schools and graduated from Sumter High School in 1972. Eddie graduated from Voorhees College in Denmark in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in History. In 1978, Eddie joined the South Carolina State Highway Patrol; where he served 38 years on the force.
Eddie accepted Christ as his savior at an early age. He was a member of Unionville AME Church of St. Charles. He matriculated to Mt. Hope Baptist Church in Martin where he served as a Sunday school teacher.
On December 17, 1977 Eddie and Florence Edwards were united in Holy Matrimony and to this union one son, Dwain Garvin Dean, was born.
Eddie was a member of the Allendale Masonic Lodge No. 53, a member of the NAACP, a faithful worker for Relay for Life, and an Assistant Associate Deputy with the Knights of Pythagoras District 10.
He leaves to cherish his fond memories and legacy: a loving and devoted wife of 39 years, Florence Dean; a son, Dwain (Carol) Dean of Barnwell; six grandchildren: Dynesha Dean-reared in the home, Dwain Dean Jr., Dakarai Dean, Clark Dean, Claire Dean, and Collin Sitton; two great-grandchildren: Joshua Pettus and Kadence Dean; a loving mother, Sarah Jane Dean of Sumter; loving father and mother-in-law, Deacon William and Elizabeth Edwards of Martin; two sisters: Fredia Smith of Orangeburg and Katherine (Reverend Jimmie) Allen of Fort Washington, MD; two brothers: James C. Dean of Sumter and Carl A. (Gina) Dean of Raleigh, NC; sisters-in-law: Mary Ann (Harry) Anderson and Eleanor G. Jones-Edwards, both of Martin; brother-in-law, John Bennett (Adelle) Edwards of Martin; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other loving relatives and dear friends.
Allendale Community Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.