Charles S. “Charlie” Dean, a former state lawmaker who for 14 years represented rural areas along the Gulf Coast, has died at age 86, the Florida Senate announced Monday.
“A vibrant and captivating person, Senator Dean’s many stories and sayings honed over a career in law enforcement and as a cattleman are remembered fondly by those who knew him,” Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, wrote in a memo to senators.
A Florida State University graduate and member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, Dean was elected to four consecutive terms as sheriff of Citrus County before being elected to the Florida House in 2002. The Inverness Republican moved to the Senate in 2007, where he served until 2016, representing Baker, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee, and Union counties and part of Marion County.
“A trusted friend of Senator Dean’s, whom I spoke with this morning on the way to the office, described him as fiercely loyal,” Albritton continued. “He said anyone who knew Senator Dean knew beyond the tough exterior was a tender heart that cared deeply for people.”
In 2022, the College of Central Florida renamed its Citrus campus building the Charles S. Dean Sr. Educational Center.
Dean’s father Charles S. Dean was Citrus County sheriff from 1928 to 1945 and his mother Rema Y. Dean was Inverness city clerk from 1956 to 1974.
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.
Other stories you may want to read:
- House Approves Homes on ‘Agricultural Enclaves’ - March 11, 2026
- Florida Poised to Require Proof of Citizenship to Vote - March 11, 2026
- January Revenue Falls Short of Forecast - March 4, 2026