Melba Dean
October 16, 1938 – December 31, 2022
Melba Dean was born in New York City on October 16, 1938,the only child of Arturo Dall’acqua and Margherita (Berruti) Dall’acqua. She grew up on the West Side of Manhattan and at the family summer home in Amawalk, Westchester County, New York. She graduated from Washington Irving High School and attended Hunter College.
In 1961 she met Richard Leland Dean, formerly of Fullerton, who was then living in New York City. They were married on June 9, 1962 in the Roman Catholic Church of Our Savior. After three more years in Manhattan, they moved in 1965 to Ridgefield, New Jersey, and in 1968 to Leonia, New Jersey.
In Leonia, Melba was active in local politics and was a devoted member of the Leonie Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
When Richard’s company relocated to Norfolk, Virginia, the family settled in Virginia Beach. Melba was a member of the Larkspur Garden Club and continued her education, earning an Associates Degree from Tidewater Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
At the time of retirement in 1997, the Deans moved to Omaha to live near friends and family. They became members of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, where Melba became active in the Catholic Daughters Court and as a member of the Marthas, a funeral lunch group.
Melba is survived by her husband, Richard “Dick”; their children: John N. II of Glenham, New York, Jane A. Brown (John) of Omaha, and David A., also of Omaha; four grandchildren: Robert A. Brown of Omaha, Christopher W. of the USAF in Abilene, Texas, Olivia Dean and Nicholas Dean, both of Glenham, NY; great-grandson, Andrew Leland Brown of Omaha.
VISITATION begins on Friday, January 6th at 10:30am at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 11802 Pacific, followed by MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL at 11am. Interment: Saturday, January 7th at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. Robert Bellarmine School in Omaha, or the Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8794, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187.
To view a live broadcast of the Mass, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Cast” button at the top of the home page.
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