Floyd Franklin Dean Jr.'s Obituary
Floyd F. “Buddy” Dean, Jr. of Plano, TX was born on April 28, 1945, at home in Keener, Etowah County, AL, to Floyd F. Dean, Sr. and Maude Beatrice Williams Dean. Buddy passed away on April 11, 2026. He served in the U.S. Navy from November 1965 November 1968.
After a few years living in California, he moved to Dallas, TX where he met his future wife, Karen. They married on May 18, 1973, in Durant, OK. They lived 20+ years in Richardson where he served on the Richardson Park Board and was Mayor Pro Tem 1988-1991. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Richardson for more than 40 years. He was also a member of Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, the Masonic Lodge and Scottish Rite for more than 50 years and joined the Shriners several years ago. After moving to Plano in 2001, Buddy served on the Collin County Planning Board for many years. He and Karen never failed to vote. After many years playing competitive softball, Buddy became an avid classic car enthusiast, winning many car show awards. He and Karen owned and operated GWS Welding Supply in Dallas for many years until the Linde Corp. bought the company in 2012. Many will remember their much-loved store cat, Gandolf, who adopted them through SPCA-Dallas. They retired in 2013. Buddy and Karen were inseparable partners in business and life. If you saw one of them, you usually saw both. In lieu of flowers, friends and family may send memorials to the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Galveston, SPCA-Dallas or First United Methodist Church of Richardson. Buddy was predeceased by his half-siblings: Houston Earl and Bennie J. Simmons, Frances Simmons Young and Beatrice Simmons Mcgriff. Survived by Karen, wife and partner in business and life, four beloved Fur Children, sister, Mary Dean Cole, Las Vegas, NV; in-laws, Donald Copello of McKinney and Janice and Robert Smith of PA. Special recognition must be given to his friend, David Balthrop, who was a great help to Buddy in so many ways in his last days.
Special thanks to Buddy’s wonderful doctors: George M. Markus, J. Scott Hassell, Marc Shalek and Ed Cox, as well as the wonderful VITAS Hospice Staff in Carrollton. We are most grateful for their care and support.
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