Obituary for Barbara Brown Dean

MRS. BARBARA BROWN DEAN, age 91, of Macon, GA, formerly of Eastman, GA, passed away on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Westhill Assisted Living in Macon, GA, surrounded by her family and friends.

From a small town in Georgia, to both small and large towns nationwide, Barbara Brown Dean made quite a name for herself as a classical singer. She was, though, proud to call Eastman her home. Those who knew her well would be quick to point out that Mrs. Dean’s life story could fill a whole newspaper page, in small print. 

Barbara began her studies in Macon at Wesleyan College, School of Music, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance – and the nickname of BB with fellow classmates. She moved to Fitzgerald to teach music in the Elementary School, where she met her husband Donald Faye Dean. First as colleagues, fellow teachers, they became friends, then sweethearts. They were married December 26, 1954, and began a life of Teaching, Service, Coaching, and Performing. Mrs. Dean had a colorful career that developed from piano into singing. She taught singing at Mercer University, Middle College of Georgia, and Wesleyan College. She also taught a small, auditioned group of high school students who went on the win scholarships and study music in colleges all across the country. These young students gave her a new nickname, respectfully, La Dean.   

Barbara’s vocal career took many forms, including sacred music, and secular music including operas and solo artist concerts with orchestras all over the nation. She described one performance as her most enjoyable, singing “O Holy Night” for the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Georgia Governor’s State Mansion. She was asked to return eight more years. Dean became a pro football fan after singing the National Anthem at a Falcons Game, an invite she received for 9 more years. Her performances playing Mary in an original program, she described as her most dear. Her accolades were glowing and the reviews praised her mezzo-soprano voice as both “mellow” and “thrilling”. Never afraid to take on a challenge, especially for Robert Shaw, Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony, she accepted the challenge of a very big performance of music in Russian. She would explain it as being “very long and a lot of Russian. It was a bear”. It was her most challenging performance even after years of work in Italian, German, and French. 

Eventually she retired from her opera career, moving home to Eastman with her husband Donald. They became very involved in small town life, but Barbara Dean wanted to create something for the school children. She took the position of pianist and eventually choir director at Eastman Methodist. Still, she wanted to develop a program for the students. She accepted an invitation to read to the children during Literacy Week. She also decided to capture their imaginations and see how fun reading could be. She dressed in costume, little wire glasses, with a ruffled apron over her dress. She was a hit. She named the character, Miss La Ti Da. Invitations to perform flooded in. She took Miss La Ti Da to more schools in neighboring towns, plus city festivals and county fairs. Again, there was Barbara both performing and serving. 

Up until 2 weeks before her passing, she was playing piano at West Hill senior living in Macon. She had a lovely apartment and many friends who, understandably, gave her a third nickname, The Queen. She played along enjoying her neighbors. It is truly not difficult to see her impact on young people from elementary students to those in college. She influenced adults into many forms of giving for special causes or ordinary days in town. Once asked about her legacy, she answered, “Hopefully I have instilled in others the Love of Jesus, the Love of Music, and the Love of My Great Country…America.”

 A visitation to honor Mrs. Barbara Dean will be held on Sunday, November 8, from 1:30PM-3:30PM, at Stokes-Southerland Funeral Home.

 In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be sent in honor of Barbara and her love of music to The Barbara Dean Scholarship, % Mercer University School of Music, 1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207.