Gwen - We are so incredibly sorry and are keeping you and your entire family in our thoughts and prayers. Dean was an amazing person, and we so enjoyed every event or activity where we got to spend time with both of you. Whether it was an office activity, a dinner, or even our wedding, Dean never failed to make us laugh. We even remember when he was the hit of our Halloween party when he surprised all of the guests by showing up dressed as a nurse! Just last week, I was telling the story about the time when we were at the Navy Yard and it was the morning of our annual Christmas cookie exchange. Dean called me and said, "Mark, you're a friend of mine so I need to give you a warning - do NOT eat Gwen's cookies - they're awful!" Apparently, you had made a slight error in the recipe for sesame seed cookies, where you misread two tablespoons, and instead added two CUPS of sesame seeds. Dean told me that he knew it was too much and tried to politely correct you. When you insisted, he went out hunting for enough of them to make two cups. Dean told me, "Do you know how many grocery stores I had to go to in order to find that many sesame seeds when they only sell them in those little jars??" That's what I'll always remember about Dean. Not only was he an amazing friend, but you could always count on him to be supportive in any situation! All our love, Mark and Dawn Dodd
