John 'Dixie' & Edith Dean

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Squadron Leader John Granville "Dixie" Dean. John 'Dixie' & Edith Dean moved to to 'Griston', Goodacres Lane, Lacey Green in late 1976/ early 1977 when their house, which they named Griston, was completed. It was the 3rd of the four houses which were built at the end of Goodacres Lane on land which had been part of Goodacres House.

Valerie Webster wrote the following tribute to Edith : -

Before coming to Lacey Green, due to Dixie’s life in the RAF. they had moved frequently but, on his retirement, he took a job in High Wycombe.

The couple soon became absorbed into the village where they already had friends whom they had met through Dixie’s career in the RAF.

Sadly, their life here together was cut short when Dixie became ill and died in the mid 1980s. They had three grown up children and several young grandchildren, who were scattered around the country – Edith’s younger daughter was the nearest at the time, living in Maidenhead, her son lived in the midlands and her older daughter lived in Scotland.

However, Edith chose to continue her life in Lacey Green. She remained here until about 2012, when she eventually gave in to the pleas of her family and moved up to Dundee where she quickly settled into a very comfortable apartment close to her older daughter’s family.

By this time, her younger daughter, with her family, had long ago relocated to western Canada and Edith made annual unaccompanied visits there for many years, until she was well into her 90s. By all accounts she really enjoyed experiencing Canadian life.

Edith was my neighbour for 36 years and I shall always remember her for her unquenchable zest for life.

One of her great pleasures was her garden which she tended lovingly right up until she moved to Dundee, in spite of significant back problems in her later years.

She played an active part in village life and for several years she was secretary to the 81st Club, as well as being involved in delivering Meals on Wheels.

On one of her significant birthdays (I believe it was her 80th) her family made sure that she fulfilled her ambition of flying in a hot air balloon, to the disbelief and admiration of her friends and neighbours.

In addition, she regularly defied the years and joined her Scottish family in sailing holidays on the coast of Scotland.

Edith is remembered by all who knew her, as an always cheerful, always kind and always a helpful friend and neighbour.

She died a few years ago in Scotland, not long after celebrating her 100th birthday.

Squadron Leader John Granville "Dixie" Dean. Service Career. researched by Joan West

1936  Joined RAF Trained as Electronics Engineer at RAF Halton

WW2.  Postings around the Mediterranean

1949 Married Edith at Mansfield.  (Edith was a nurse in London)

1953-55   RAF Base near Newark.

1956-59   RAF Binbrook, (bomber squadrons)

1959-61  Signals Officer RAF Jever, Germany. Researcher’s Note.  It was at RAF Jever that 'Dixie' met Bob Barcelon, who also retired to Lacey Green.

1961-63  Signals Development Squadron, RAF Watton, Norfolk.

1963-65   RAF Wyton, Cambs. 51 Squadron.    Researcher Note. It was only following the end of the Cold War that the signals intelligence role of the squadron was publicly recognized.

1965-68   RAF Watton, 360 Squadron, Joint Electronic Warfare Trials and Training Force.

1969-73  Strike Command, Walters Ash. Electronic Warfare  

The photo above right was taken outside Buckingham Palace after John Dean had been awarded the OBE. His wife Edith had accompanied him on that occasion. Research Note'''.  During the years 1963- 73, Dixie’s work was top secret and he and Edith were restricted where they could travel for their own security.   He was awarded the OBE for the work he did at that time.

Post Retirement from the RAF

John 'Dixie' Dean worked for Trend Communications, High Wycombe

He died in 1984 aged 61.

Edith later moved north to be nearer to family.