Catherine Lea McCreary Dean

Catherine “Cathy” Dean, 81, formally of Wheeling, WV, passed away on June 8, 2016 at her current home, The New England Club, in Cincinnati Ohio. Born in Wheeling, WV on September 11, 1934, and raised in Sand Hill, WV, she was the daughter of the late Russell Benton McCreary and Madalyn Adella Dague McCreary. An active member of Christ United Methodist Church for over 50 years, she and husband Bill first volunteered as leaders for the church’s youth group, and many community service activities followed. She served as a leader of the Laurel 4-H Club and treasurer of the Ohio County 4-H Leaders Association. A member of the Eastern Star, she served as a Board Member of the Wheeling Figure Skating Club and engaged as a docent at the Oglebay Mansion House through her involvement with Oglebay Institute. Passionate for painting and education, she took multiple opportunities in later years with art and knitting classes and programs through Oglebay’s Stifel Arts Center. Cathy graduated as a class officer from Sherrard high school and completed a degree at Elliott’s School of Business before working at Aetna Insurance Company and then the management office for Hazel Atlas Glass, in Wheeling. After raising her children, she oversaw bookkeeping and payroll for William Dean Reality, Inc. Highly active in Marshall County 4-H as a youth, Cathy perfected skills as a seamstress, winning numerous awards including top honors at local and state 4-H Style Reviews. She deftly used needle, thread and a keen eye for design to tailor clothes for family, maintain choir robes and passion costumes at Christ United Methodist Church, create a wide range of outfits as costume designer for the Wheeling Figure Staking Club’s Annual Ice Shows, and design display cases for Oglebay Institute. Married on June 26, 1954, Cathy is survived by her loving husband of 62 years William R. Dean, Jr.; children, Dr. Kevin W. (the Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy) Dean of Princeton, NJ and Melissa Dean (David E.) Dallas of Cincinnati; grandchildren Brendan W. Dean of Brooklyn, NY; Shannon M. Dean of Linden, NJ; Simon D. Dallas and Maxim E. Dallas of Cincinnati; Sisters in-law Eleanor Mae Dean of Sherrard, Lora D. Bishop and Gertrude “Pepper” D. Organ of Wheeling, and several nieces and nephews. Arrangements are being made to receive family and friends for a memorial service at Christ United Methodist Church, 1232 National Road, Wheeling West Virginia (304-242-2455). Internment will take place at Halcyon Hills cemetery in Sherrard. In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions may be made to Christ United Methodist Church (www.christumcwheeling.org), Oglebay Institute Stifel Fine Arts Center 1330 National Road, Wheeling, WV 26003 (www.oionline.com), or Ohio County 4-H, c/o WVU Extension Service, Ohio County Office 51 Sixteenth Street—Room 301, Wheeling, WV, 26003 (http://ohio.ext.wvu.edu/about_us).