Wayne Anthony Dean, affectionately known as Tony, was born to the late Jacquelyn Helen Pinkney on July 19, 1956 in Washington, DC. As a child he loved playing baseball and hanging out at the golf course not far from his childhood home on Maryland Ave in Washington, DC. Eventually, at age 9, he figured out a way to make money by retrieving lost golf balls at Langston Golf Course and Driving Range.

Tony received his education through DC Public Schools. As a teenager, he met Judith A. Dean (Robinson) and they later married. From that union arrived two beautiful daughters, Mieko Lorraine and Angela Monique. He enlisted in the US Navy in September 1982 and was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan.

After the Navy, Tony worked in construction until he began his home improvement business, Total Home Works. He was a creative and master carpenter, successfully running his own home improvement business for over 30 years. Tony loved his work and almost always worked from sunup to sundown. Making his customers happy gave him a tremendous source of pride.

When he wasn't working, he enjoyed spending time with family, cooking on the grill, going on fishing trips with his brother and cousins, taking road trips, playing cards, or watching MSNBC. He had an outgoing personality, could talk to anyone, loved to laugh, and made everyone laugh around him.

Tony was a loving father, son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin, and friend. Family came first and always took precedence in his life. His granddaughters, Victoria and Mila, were the center of his joy and he always made time to play with them, even after a long day. Empowerment of the black community was very important to him. He was a faithful listener of the National Action Network, loved wearing Negro League Baseball apparel, and supported local black-owned businesses such as Alldāz Clothing, Shooters Gear, and We R One. Christmas and birthday gifts from Tony almost always came from a black-owned business.

On Thursday, October 3rd, Tony peacefully departed this life at Inova Fairfax Inpatient Hospice in Fairfax, Virginia. He was surrounded by his family, who will immensely miss his presence in their lives.

He is preceded in death by his sister, Denise Yvette Dean, and father, Francis (Frank) Elmo Pinkney.

Tony leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving daughters Mieko Dean and Angela Dean; granddaughters Victoria Elle Brunson and Mila Grace Brunson; sister Sheila Saleh; brother David A. Pinkney; nephews Colin Dean and Colin Dean Jr.; nieces Jasmine Pinkney and Jazarah Byrd; aunts June Florence and Shirley Williams; uncle Ronald Dean; and a host of other relatives, cousins, co-workers, and friends.