Blue Springs — Robert Wayne Dean, a regional vice president for the Missouri Baptist Foundation, passed away at his home Dec. 13. He was 61.
Services were conducted Dec. 16 at First Baptist Church, Blue Springs, with a private interment following.
Mr. Dean was born on June 23, 1944, to George and Ruth Brantley Dean in Repton, Ala. He married Jennifer Kennedy on July 14, 1979, in Nevada. She is a nationally-known author and speaker on prayer.
He earned a degree in business from Troy State University in 1969 and spent most of his career in sales and marketing. He was co-founder and president of The Praying Life Foundation based in Blue Springs. He also had been a development officer for the Missouri Baptist Children's Home.
He also was a member and past president of the Blue Springs High School Football Boosters Club.
"One of his strengths was in building relationships," noted Foundation executive vice president Stephen Mathis. "He cared for constituents and took on their concerns."
Mr. Dean was on campus the day after tornadoes ripped through William Jewell College in May 2004 to assist with cleanup. During baseball season this year, he hosted students from Coyote Hills Christian Children's Home to a Kansas City Royals game. He also promoted several other ministries, Mathis added.
Additional survivors include three sons, Brantley Quin Dean of Waco, Texas; Kennedy Whittier Dean of Blue Springs; and Wayne Stinson Dean of Laramie, Wyo.; and four sisters.