Uncle Dean grew up on a fruit farm in Southwest Michigan. He is the youngest of 3 children born to Gordon and Margaret Brown of Lawton. He attended Lawton Community Schools and graduated in 1973. In 1974 he attended Tennessee Temple University and graduated in 1979 with a BA in Bible. From 1979 until 1985 Dean worked part time as Youth/Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church in Lawton. In 1985 Dean began working full time with RBM Ministries in Van Buren and Berrien Counties.
Dean met Cherie Shumaker, of Plainwell, MI, at church camp one summer. They were married in 1976 and have four grown children and 5 grandchildren.
Dean enjoys helping children get to know God and to know Him better. He desires to see families stengthened through a loving relationship with Jesus Christ and all people to see that God has a wonderful plan and purpose for them. He ministers through Vacation Bible Schools and Released Time Bible classes for the Public Schools.