James P. Dean

Funeral services for the Honorable Judge James Porter Dean (ret.), 74, are set for 2:00 pm today at First United Methodist Church with the Reverend Andrew Cotton officiating. Visitation were Wednesday, April 23, 2008 from 5:00 - 9:00 pm at the McPeters Funeral Home. Burial will follow the service at the Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors.
Judge Dean died Saturday, April 19, 2008 at the Magnolia Regional Health Center. He was a dearly loved husband, father, grandfather and uncle who dedicated his whole life to his family and country.
Judge Dean served with the United States Army Security Agency during the Korean Conflict. While a freshman at The University of Mississippi Law School, Judge Dean served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from Alcorn County (1960 - 1964) and a member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 23rd Senatorial District (1964 - 1968). Active in the practice of law since June, 1961, he served as Municipal Judge for the city of Corinth for over 29 years. Until his death, he served as Attorney for the Alcorn County Election Commission.
In 1986, Judge Dean was elected National Commander of the American Legion. While serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Legion, Judge Dean travelled in excess of 500,000 miles, prepared and testified before numerous Congressional Committees, toured and was a guest of the United States State Department and the U.S. Department of Defense throughout many countries.
Judge Dean was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Carolyn Phillips Dean, and his parents, Charles Porter and Violet Ellen Dean, his brothers, Charles Roland and Robert Neal Dean, and his sister-in-law, Mary Juanita Dean.
Survivors include his daughters, Ellen D. Hinton and her husband, L. Lee Hinton, Jr., of Corinth and Sara D. Goretski and her husband, LtCol Anthony "Tony" J. Goretski, Jr., of Montgomery, AL; four grandchildren, Leigh Ellen Hinton, Lauren L. Hinton, Anthony J. Goretski III, and Anna C. Goretski.
Memorial may be made to First United Methodist Church, 901 N. Fillmore Street, Corinth, MS or to the American Legion Endowment Fund.