Dean DeField

Geraldine "Dean" DeField, age 80, of Charleston, died Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at the Bertrand Nursing and Rehabilitation.

With the help of family friend, Dr. Charles Rolwing, Dean was born November 19, 1941, at Charleston, MO, to the late Gerald H. DeField and Erlene Dye DeField.   Upon her graduation from Charleston High School in 1959, Dean went on to study music education at the University of Missouri at Columbia, with an emphasis in piano and organ performance.

Dean returned to the Charleston area and settled into life at home.  Known as "Miss Dean", she taught organ and piano in their home a number of years.  Dean loved all sorts of music and especially Broadway musicals.  Dean served music teacher in several elementary schools throughout Southeast Missouri.

Life in the DeField home at 1300 East Cypress was always an adventure.  Her father "Jelly" was welder and an airplane pilot, her mother Erlene, a fabulous cook and hostess, and her sister, Ann, an accomplished artist and teacher.   Dean and Ann could be seen out in Charleston riding around in the family 1974 Cadillac Deville.   Dean however, kept her 1972 two door White Lincoln Continental as her own personal car.    Often, Dean, Ann, and their mother, planned and hosted theme parties.  Family and friends would come dressed to "arrive at their destination" and would enjoy food and music from places such as Africa, Hawaii, Italy and Spain.

Dean was a member of the First Baptist Church in Charleston where she served as organist in high school and again after her return to Charleston in the early 1970's.  She had been active in the choir of the First Baptist Church as well as the Charleston Community Choir and had served as organist for the Wesley United Methodist Church in Sikeston in prior years.    Dean and her sister Ann founded the Charleston Singers, and on special occasions, this small group of neighbors and friends would gather in the studio at Charleston's K.C.H.R. Radio Station and sing live with live piano accompaniment.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Mildred Ann DeField.

Surviving are several DeField and Dye cousins.

A private family service will be held at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Interment will follow at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.