Kristal Lane Dean

Kristal Lane Dean, 58, passed away from unexpected surgical complications on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. She is survived by her husband Steven Dean, their two daughters Lillian Dean and Evelyn Dean, her siblings Kelly Slusser, Jonathan Murray, and Alice Murray, and her mother Norma Morgan. Kris lives on in their hearts and those of her extended family and friends. Born June 7, 1966, in Clifton Forge, Virginia, Kristal was very involved in her community, including but not limited to singing in her church choir, volunteering at Alleghany Regional Hospital, participating in Dinner Theatre, and hosting WXCF radio station. After attending Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Kris received a degree in English from Old Dominion University before pursuing a degree in Psychology at the University of Mary Washington. She worked for The Virginia Zoo preceding her career in the Head Start program where she assisted underprivileged families and children navigate various at-risk circumstances, before deciding to leave the field to raise children of her own. She volunteered with the Friends of the Mechanicsville Library and eventually became a substitute teacher for Hanover County and a respected presence within the school community. Kris’ loves include spending time with her husband and children, fossil hunting, gem mining, foraging, glass blowing, tending to her garden, her bees, and her three cats and dog. Her intelligence, creativity, ingenuity, and problem-solving manifest through all her endeavors, as she is an incredibly talented artist, baker, writer, and singer. She is a force of nature with a witty sense of humor and a demeanor that makes everyone she speaks to feel seen, as her compassion and kindness are beyond comparison. She is brave, strong, and has the brightest smile and the warmest presence, which she makes sure to present to both peers and strangers alike. Kris is not to be underestimated. She has a unique sense of people and an ability to pick up on the subtleties most people miss, which she uses to give the best advice. She worked endlessly to ensure her children’s lives were filled with magic so that they knew the grandest kind of love. Kris gives more than she receives, and that love will be felt by her descendants for generations to come. She is the best friend, sister, daughter, aunt, mother, and human the world has ever known, and will always be remembered as such.

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