Frank & Bright Funeral Home

Jeanette Dean

Apr 17th, 1931 - Sep 28th, 2015

   Frances Jeanette Dean, age 84, of Xenia, Illinois, passed away on Monday, September 28, 2015, at NorthCare Hospice House in North Kansas City, Missouri.  She will be dearly remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

   Jeanette was born April 17, 1931, in Wayne County, the daughter of Francis Asberry and Versa Idola (Miley) Hufhines.  She married Oscar Dean on July 3, 1949, in Xenia, and they shared 59 anniversaries together.  He preceded her in death February 20, 2009.

   Jeanette’s strong spiritual faith and devotion to prayer was her foundation for serving, ministering, and sharing with others in many ways.  She was a member of Community of Christ Brush Creek Congregation where she was a past youth leader, bible school director, and sang in the choir.  In her early working days, Jeanette was employed at Lloyd Burgess’ grocery store and the International Shoe Factory, and she later worked as a physical therapy aide at Murray Children’s Center in Centralia for over 15 years.  Time spent with her family, especially grandchildren and great-grandchildren was precious to her, and during retirement years, she played shuffleboard, bingo, and was bocce ball champion at Garden Village Retirement Home in Kansas City. 

   She is survived by 2 daughters:  Kay (Randy) Miller of Johnsonville and Linda (Jim) Kirkpatrick of Kansas City, MO; a sister: Mabel Hufhines of Flora; 5 grandchildren: Dee Ann (Richard) Hoover of Pearl, Jenny (Collin) Swearingen of Northville, MI; Alex Gustafson of New York, NY, Ryan (Jamie) Gustafson of Kansas City, MO, and Nick (Sarah) Gustafson all of Independence, MO; and 6 great-grandchildren: Nathan Hoover, Kate Hoover, Madison Swearingen, Spencer Swearingen, Corra Gustafson, and Stella Gustafson.  She was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Oscar Dean; 3 sisters: Imogene Hufhines, Genevieve Dunaway Wenzel, and infant sister Barbara June; and 2 brothers-in-law: George Dunaway and Fred Wenzel.

   A funeral service for Jeanette Dean will be held 12 Noon Sunday, October 4, 2015, at Community of Christ Brush Creek Congregation, rural Xenia.  Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Saturday at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora and from 11 a.m. until service time on Sunday at the church.  Interment will take place in Brush Creek Cemetery at a later date.  Memorials are suggested to the church or Brush Creek Campground.  Share online condolences and memories with the family at www.frankandbright.com.