- Date Of Birth: November 23, 1944
- Date Of Death: July 26, 2021
- State: Arkansas
Dean Lee VanLaningham sat down on a park bench with his Lord and Savior, July 26, 2021, just down the street from his new residence in heaven.
Dean surrendered to the ministry at 15 years of age. From that time until his final moment, the most important message he shared was Jesus. His scripture choice for the plan of salvation flowed from John 1:1-5, which he considered the most powerful words in the Bible, to John 3:16, because no one could be left out, to the instructions from Jesus in John 15:12 to love one another. He pastored under the leadership of the Holy Spirit for 23 years and served another 19 years in Special Education. Helping others marked most of the moments of his life. He threw in some fishing in the later years and worked on any little project around the house, as his health would allow.
Dean was born November 23, 1944 and is survived by his wife of 58 years, Penny (Lawson) and two daughters, both of Harrison, Deanna Hunter (Dan) and Lanette Williams (John), two grandsons, Daniel Pate of Harrison and Joel Williams (Katie) along with two great-grand children, Georgiana and Sterling, of Dallas, Texas.
Dean was preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn (Ross) Napier and Fred Napier, along with several siblings and other kin.
If you are family, you knew he loved you. If you are friend, you knew he cared. If you were a stranger, you became his friend.
