Charles “Charlie” Nelson Dean (Lt Col, USAF Ret), 90, passed away Friday, March 20, 2026, in Newport News, VA.
Charlie was born in Hollywood, MD, to Nelson C Dean and C. Isabel Thompson Dean. He grew up in southern MD and maintained a life-long interest in history and culture of St Mary’s County.
Charlie graduated from the University of Maryland in 1958 and was commissioned as 2nd Lt in the United States Air Force. He began his military career as a navigator student at James Connolly AFB in Waco, Texas, where he met his future wife, Betty.
They were married in July 1960, and Charlie’s first assignment was at Pease AFB NH, as a B-47 Navigator, where he spent many hours “on alert”, being crew ready for any situation. Other assignments were Warner Robins AFB, GA, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, followed by George AFB CA, for F-111A training, before being deployed to Southeast Asia. While stationed in Thailand, he served as an F-4D Weapons Systems Officer for flights over Vietnam.
His many military medals and citations include National Defense Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross for “extreme precision and accurate timing during night-time flight on 15 April 1972”, Meritorious Service Medal, AF Longevity Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Service Medal and other commendations.
In 1980, Charlie was at Langley AFB VA, where he retired after 24 years of military service. He and Betty bought a home in Poquoson and settled into civilian life. He continued his interests in computers and electronics. He also enjoyed golf and was treasurer and score keeper for his golfing group.
Charlie was an avid reader and his library included both fiction and non-fiction. He especially enjoyed the cartoon character “Pogo” and Zane Grey western novels
In March 2022, Charlie and Betty moved from Poquoson to Chesapeake Retirement Community, where Betty currently resides.
We salute this proud and brave man for his devotion to family and his country. May he rest in peace.
“He has slipped the surly bonds of earth and taken flight”. (Adapted from the aviation poem “High Flight” written by Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr during WWII).
Survived by his wife, Betty Jane, Newport News, VA; sister Beverly Dean Burgher and husband Joe, Vero Beach, FL; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Mary Beth and Art Jones, Burke, VA.