Raymond Rendall Dean

Raymond Rendall Dean, 90, died at home after a courageous battle with cancer and various other ailments. Ray, a former orphan, grew up close to Fort Myers, Florida, down by the “glades,” but has been a longtime 33-year resident of Biltmore Forest, NC. Ray retired from American Airlines as a Vice President of Direct Marketing, and lived in 19 cities worldwide in his 28-year career. Ray, proudly and honorably, served and fought for his country in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. He is a graduate of the College of William & Mary, and obtained an MBA graduate degree from Syracuse University. Besides his airline career, Ray started working at 12 in packing houses, ranches, and gas stations. He was also a NBC pageboy, a U.S. Border patrolman, a lineman for Florida Power and Light Company and spent several years in senior management with 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, including working on major motion pictures such as “Tora,Tora, Tora”, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and many, many more. He also worked in London for British European Airlines in International Marketing. He then came back to the U.S. and worked as a District Sales Manager for American Airlines in California. After he retired, he relocated to the Asheville area and started Biltmore Village, Inc, a N.C. Business Management Company, that included ownership of commercial real estate and home construction. Surviving are his longtime, loving Greek born wife, Hope Xenakis; his two daughters—Christina Maria from Austin, TX and Teri Lynn from Menominee, MI; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; a lovely niece, Alexandra; and his adopted brother, Martin Kern; and many, many dear close friends. Ray played several sports, but had a passion for football and baseball. He loved his past and present rescue pets, including dog Petey and cat Kitty Kat, who survive him. He thoroughly enjoyed working on his acre of flowers, plants and trees. Ray’s early years, up until age 7, were spent in an orphanage, and then placed with two different, kindly, German immigrant families. One was on a Texas ranch for 5 years and the other in SW Florida. Those formative years molded him into a patriotic American who loved his country, a caring person, loving husband and good friend to many. He achieved so much, starting with so little, but always kept progressing forward. The four letter word he loved most was “RISK.” Ray never met a stranger and had a smile as big as his heart as well as a great sense of humor. He said when it was his time, the good Lord would be looking for a “street fighter,” so as to screen out the bad guys at the Golden Gates. Ray asks everyone not to mourn his passing, but to celebrate his memorable life and his accomplishments. It was one ”heck” of a ride. “I’m just changing area codes. Thanks for the memories and I’ll keep the bench warm.” A celebration of life will be held at a later date. For more information, please check the Morris Funeral Home website. Ray was of the Greek Orthodox faith. Anyone wishing to make a donation in his name may do so to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Foundation, 227 Cumberland Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801 or to the Asheville Humane Society, 14 Forever Lane, Asheville, NC 28806.

Raymond Rendall Dean

August 13, 1936 - August 19, 2026