Nellie Biggers Dean

Nellie Biggers Dean, 90 years old, died Tuesday morning, December 20, 2005, at Hospice Atlanta after suffering a serious fracture from a fall in November.  Born in Atlanta at then rural Cheshire Bridge Road and Lindbergh Rd., she grew up as Atlanta grew into a city.  Her father, a builder, constructed many of the homes in the Morningside area.  She attended Fulton High School where she graduated as valedictorian in 1933.  A charter member of the National Honor Society, she was brilliant with language and with numbers and was offered several academic scholarships for university study. Nellie decided to refuse this opportunity in order to work and help support her family during the depths of the depression.  She began work at Rich's and later took a position in the steno pool at Retail Credit Company, where she rose to the position of executive secretary to the company treasurer.  When she retired in 1977 the company had to hire several new people to fill her shoes. Above all things, Nellie was a woman of deep faith and loved to praise God through music both by singing and playing piano.  From her childhood she was active in church and, as a young adult, became involved in the Baptist Tabernacle downtown.  She was a member of a vocal trio which sang live on radio for several years and which was  part of the featured music for Billy Graham when he first came to Atlanta with Youth for Christ in the early 40's.   Soon after World War II she met the love of her life, Herman Dean, and they married in 1947.  Nellie loved cooking and made a warm and loving home for her family.  Their family was complete with the births of their three daughters.  Her husband died in 1996 and she spent the last years of her life being cared for by her daughters, living the last three years at Briarwood Nursing Center.  She is survived by daughters, Deborah McLendon of Snellville, Jenifer Harris of Decatur, and Melanie Wade of Spring Hill, Florida.  Nellie had six grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. There will be a viewing Thursday at A.S. Turner and Sons in Decatur from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.  After a family graveside service on Friday morning, there will be a memorial celebration at Rehoboth Baptist Church on Friday at 1:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Metro Atlanta Youth for Christ, One Mecca Way, Norcross, Ga.  30093.