Not many people can claim two 40-plus-year careers. Clarence Dean can, as he spent 47 years as a physical therapist at various US Army hospital facilities and worked slow pitch and fast pitch softball for the Western Washington Umpire Association for more than 42 years. 

Born May 15, 1935, in Marshall, Texas, Dean moved with his family to Southern California as a young boy and earned All-City Honors on the football field as a high school senior. Following graduation, he joined the US Army, where he capped his physical therapy career at JBLM Madigan Hospital. Through his time in the Army, he moved around the US and officiated football, basketball, baseball, and softball. 

It was on the softball diamond that Dean found his most consistent call (and was recognized as best-dressed official). He covered various levels of recreation and high school softball games, including numerous slow pitch and fast pitch Select Team Recreation organizations working weekend tournaments. Although his weekend tournament work always carved out Sundays, as he declared, “Sunday was for church and family.” 

Off the diamond, Dean served on the WWUA Executive Governing Board and was a board director/member. He always represented WWUA with the utmost dignity and in a very professional manner.