Biography: Dr. Gilbert Orville Dean, Sr. of Little Rock died Monday, September 18, 2006. He was born July 10, 1910, in Springfield, Nebraska, to John Wesley and Jennie Clara Chapman Dean. He lived in Blue Mound, Kansas from 1913-1923. His family moved to Little Rock in 1924 where he attended Little Rock High School until 1927. He then went on to study at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville from 1927-1930. In 1929 he was introduced on a blind date to the red-headed love of his life, Nancy Alta Eagle of Spencer, North Carolina, who was also attending the University. They dated and corresponded for several years until they married on March 16, 1935. Before they were married, Gilbert attended the Medical School at the University of Arkansas Little Rock from 1930-1935. During the last two years of medical school, he was an Instructor of Anatomy as well as a student. After his graduation from medical school, Dr. and Mrs. Dean moved to Iowa City, Iowa where he performed his Internship and Surgical Residency at the University Hospital from 1935-1941. Their son, Gilbert O. Dean, Jr. was born April 6, 1942, after the Deans returned to Little Rock, where Dr. Dean spent a year in private practice before entering the U. S. Navy and Marine Air Wing for a four-year tour of duty during WWII. During the war he served as a Flight Surgeon for the Marine Air Wing and was stationed in the South Pacific Islands and in China. His daughter Lenice Alta was born on February 24, 1946 in Santa Barbara, California. Dr. Dean was honorably discharged from the military in March 1949 as Lieutenant Commander. He was a Commissioned Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve from 1950 until he retired in 1970. Dr. Dean and his family returned to Little Rock where he launched his medical career. He became certified by the American Board of Surgery in 1945. He attained licenses to practice medicine in Arkansas, North Carolina, Iowa, and Texas. He was Professor and Head of the Surgical Department at the University of Arkansas from 1947-1951. He then became Clinical Professor of Surgery for the University beginning in 1951. He was an active staff member at Baptist Medical Center, St. Vincent Infirmary, Doctors Hospital and Riverview Medical Center. Dr. Dean was a member of the Arkansas Medical Society, Pulaski County Medical Society, American Medical Association, Southern Surgical Association, Society of University Surgeons, and Southwestern Surgical Congress. He was the Chief of Surgery for St. Vincent Infirmary in 1958 as well as Arkansas Baptist Hospital in 1962. He served as Chief of Staff for St. Vincent Infirmary from 1961-1962 and was President of the Pulaski County Medical Society from 1967-1968. He was also an Executive Committee member for the Pulaski County Medical Society from 1962-1972, and again from 1976-1992. In addition to the one year prior to WWII and the first year upon his return to Little Rock after WWII, he maintained a private medical practice from 1951 to his retirement in July 1984. During his medical career Dr. Dean was a published author. His papers included: Surgical Treatment of Varicose Veins; Internal Biliary Fistulas; Effects of Thymectomy in Acute Lymphatic Leukemia; Relapsing Pancreatitis, Surgery of Femoral Hernias; Volvulus of Sigmoid Colon; Causes for Failure to Relieve Gall Bladder Symptoms with Surgery. Dr. Dean was a member of Pulaski Heights Baptist Church for over 50 years, where he served as a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher. His favorite past times included playing golf, entertaining grandchildren, writing poetry, and completing his memoirs which he entitled Memory is the Citadel of the Mind. Dr. Dean is preceded in death by his wife, Alta Eagle Dean and son Gilbert Orville Dean, Jr. He is survived by a daughter Lenice Alta Dean Garrison, and her husband Jerry Garrison; a daughter-in-law Rebecca Nolen Dean; five grandchildren, Ashley Dean Stoltz, James Skylar Dean, Deana Garrison Dearry, Amanda Garrison Boggs and Carrie Alta Garrison; and nine great-grandchildren, James Skylar Dean, II, William Ross Dean, Anna Katherine Dean, Ashley Elizabeth Dean, Sydney Jane Stotlz, Nathan Roy Stoltz, Sarah Katherine Stoltz, Jacob Dean Stoltz, and Allison Inez Boggs. A visitation will be held from 5-7:00 p.m. Thursday at the Ruebel Funeral Home, followed by a funeral service at 10 a.m. Friday at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church officiated by Dr. Randy Hyde. Burial will follow in Little Rock National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Pulaski Heights Baptist Church or the University of Arkansas School of Medicine. www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.