Myra Dean Cruce

Myra Dean Cruce, known to family and friends simply as Dean, passed away peacefully on July 14, 2026, at the age of 92.

Dean was born on August 1, 1933, at his family’s home on Wills Avenue in Florence, Alabama. He was the fifth of six children born to Thomas Ralph Cruce and Ada Ruth Giles Cruce. Raised in a close-knit Alabama family, Dean developed the quiet determination, integrity, and strong Christian faith that would guide him throughout his life.

On May 31, 1951—the very day they graduated from high school—Dean and his sweetheart, Peggy Ann Wade, eloped to Iuka, Mississippi, beginning a marriage that would span more than seven decades. Together they built a home centered on faith, education, and unconditional love, raising four children while encouraging curiosity, learning, and service to others. Their love and devotion to one another never wavered, and in Peggy’s later years Dean cared for her with extraordinary patience, quiet faithfulness, and unwavering love.

Dean enlisted in the United States Air Force in August 1952 and served until August 1956 as an electronics and radar maintenance instructor with the 3400th Technical Training Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Following his military service, he attended The University of Alabama, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Physics in 1959.

In 1961, through an invitation from RCA and the U.S. Department of State, Dean and his young family moved to Khartoum, Sudan, where he spent two years teaching electronics. The experience reflected both his technical expertise and his willingness to embrace new opportunities while sharing his knowledge with others. After two years, the family returned to the United States.

Throughout his career, Dean applied his mathematical talents and technical expertise to projects of national significance. He contributed to the Saturn and Apollo space programs, first as a technical writer and later as an engineering specialist with General Electric at Huntsville’s Marshall Space Flight Center from 1972 to 1974 and at Kennedy Space Center in Florida from 1974 to 1979. He later joined the Tennessee Valley Authority, where he worked as a technical writer supporting its nuclear power program in Knoxville before relocating to Chattanooga to assist with construction of the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant.

Dean retired from TVA in 1994. Retirement allowed him to spend more time traveling with Peggy, tutoring children through the Herman Battle Academy, volunteering with the CONTACT of Chattanooga crisis hotline, and remaining active at the YMCA.

As a longtime member of Chattanooga First Baptist Church, Dean faithfully served as a deacon, participated on numerous councils, committees, and task forces, mentored young adults, and was an active member of the Vaughn Class. In 2024, he became a member of Christ United Methodist Church, where he continued to share his knowledge of Scripture and his love of the Bible with others.

Those who knew Dean will remember him not only for what he accomplished, but more importantly, for who he was. He was a kind and gentle man whose quiet strength was evident in every season of life. An avid and lifelong reader, he delighted in learning, asking thoughtful questions, and sharing what he had discovered with others. His Christian faith was the foundation of his life, guiding his actions, his service to others, and the way he loved his family. He was a devoted husband, a steadfast and loving father and grandfather, a trusted friend, and a man of unwavering integrity whose example will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know him.

Dean was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Peggy Ann Wade Cruce; his parents, Thomas Ralph Cruce and Ada Ruth Giles Cruce; and his siblings, Austin Cruce, Edith Byrom (Pete), Cleo McGuire (Earl), Leo Cruce; and his sister-in-law, Linda Cruce.

He is survived by his brother, Thomas “Ferdy” Cruce; his children, Cynthia Wade, Philip Cruce (Marion), Donna Kocka (David), and Wade Cruce (Kimberly); twelve grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and cherished friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake (443-837-3385) or to the ALS Association in Dean’s memory.

A service will be held at Christ United Methodist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee and the burial will be held at The Florence City Cemetery in Florence, Alabama. Details for these services will be announced at a later date.