William “Willie/Bill” Donald Dean, 77, of Rutherfordton, died Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at his home. A native of Nebraska, he was the son of the late Ens. Donald Dean and Fern Dean. His dad was a pilot and served in World War II. He went missing in action in 1944, at Turk Atoll, Micronesia, just two days before Willie was born. His dad’s plane was recently found, and Willie was contacted by a group funded through a private individual whose mission it is to bring our missing in action home. This project is still in progress.

Willie served in the United States Navy with tours of duty on three aircraft carriers: the USS Coral Sea, the USS Midway, and the USS Oriskany. He was also a mechanic for the Phantom fighter jet. He was a member of Word of Faith Fellowship.
Willie volunteered in the word of Faith Christian School. He was dedicated to the WFCS Holocaust Museum and was a lead designer on a special project with Israel and the Jewish people, building a scale model of the tabernacle in the wilderness.

Willie is survived by his wife, Mildred Therese Dean; daughters, Wendy Ann Mendez and husband Samuel, Suzanne Marie Watring and husband Thomas, Lisa Reynolds Millwood and husband Ryan, Marjorie Ann Dean and husband Kevin; son, Donald William Dean and wife Misako; grandchildren, Samuel Mendez II, Maximino Mendez, Jordan Mendez, Grace Ann Mendez, Vincent Watring, Kathleen Watring, Leon Dean, Rhiannon Dean, Ralph Dean, Ashley and Isaac Guerrero, Sarah Hudson, Stewart Millwood, Eviny Grant, Kevin Grant, Elizabeth Grant; great grandchildren, Joshua Guerrero, Josie Guerrero; brother, Frederick Carl Malley and wife Julie.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Word of Faith Building Fund, 207 Old Flynn Road, Spindle, NC 28160.