Mary Matthews Dean, 86 of Leonardtown, MD died peacefully at St. Mary's Nursing Center on September 6, 2010 after a lengthy illness.

She was born on November 1, 1923 to the late Wilmer Theodore and Frances Large Matthews in Great Mills, MD.

Mrs. Dean attended St. Mary's Academy, and graduated from Margaret Brent High School in 1943. After graduation, she went to work at the newly opened Patuxent River Naval Air Station in the Supply Department. She then married Francis Dean of Hollywood, MD on July 14, 1945. After a brief honeymoon in New York City, they then traveled to Pampas, TX where her new husband was stationed as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After the war, they settled down in Leonardtown, MD and concentrated on raising their family. Mary worked for a few years as the secretary for the Leonardtown Commissioners.

Mrs. Dean was an active volunteer in the community, serving in the PTA at Father Andrew White School, including a term as president. She also worked as a volunteer librarian at the school. Mary was a volunteer at St. Mary's Hospital for many years, up until shortly before her illness began. She was a long time member of the St. Mary's County Historical Society. She was also a member of the Breton Bay Ladies Golf Association. Mary was a devout parishioner at St. Aloysius Church for her entire life.

She enjoyed playing the piano, playing golf, and was an avid bridge player. Mary enjoyed nothing more than taking home her 75 cents winnings from her weekly bridge group.

Mary was a sweet, intelligent, fun-loving person who will be greatly missed by all her family and friends.

She is survived by her brother, Charles Matthews of Chicago, sister, Jeanne Cross of Baltimore, daughter, Marjorie McNew (Lonnie) of Whitehall, MD, her sons, William Dean (Angela) of Hollywood, MD, and Steven Dean, of Port Republic, MD. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Robert, Richard, Stacie, Megan, Rachel, and Katherine and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 65 years, Francis R. Dean, her son, John Alan Dean, granddaughter, Joanna Dean, daughter in law, Jon Davies Dean, brother in laws, William Brubacher, Russell Dean, and Greg Cross, and sister in laws, Joan Dean and Irene Matthews.

Family will receive friends for Mary's Life Celebration on Thursday, September 9, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Prayers will be recited at 6:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, September 10, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Leonardtown, MD. Interment will follow in St. Aloysius Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers will be Rachel Dean, Katherine Dean, Megan McNew, Robert Dean, Lonnie McNew and William Bailey.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Nursing Center, 21585 Peabody Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or St. Mary's Hospital Foundation, 25500 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.