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Family rocked by Deans sudden death; needs help with funeral
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Angelica Dean was, by all accounts, caring, selfless and hardworking, and the longtime Manteca resident used those traits to build a career in assisting the elderly.

That’s only a small piece of her legacy, though.

Dean died on Tuesday, nearly two months after celebrating her 31st birthday in Monterey. The cause of death is still unknown, said mother Anna Groves. 

The news has rocked a community that watched her grow up. Dean moved to Manteca in 1992 with her family and was a graduate of Sequoia Elementary and Manteca High schools, where she was a cheerleader. 

Groves said Dean was perfectly cast as a cheerleader. She was loud, spirited and unforgettable.

“She was one of those people you meet and don’t forget,” a grief-stricken Groves said. “She was loud and always so spunky. If you met Angelica, you remembered her.”

Dean’s passion for others extended beyond the seniors she cared for at Emeritus. She also had a soft spot for animals, particularly pit bulls “because she felt they were misunderstood,” and her family. 

She leaves behind a sister, two brothers and both her parents, along with a large extended family.

“Her biggest thing was helping and caring for people, but family was also so important to her,” Groves added. “Her big thing was making sure family got together. She always stressed to me, ‘Mom, we need to do these more often.’ ”

The sudden nature of her death has left the family ill-prepared for her funeral. Arrangements at PL Fry and Son are pending, Groves said, as they try to rally together the necessary funds. 

A tentative date has been set for Friday, Oct. 10.

So far, the family has raised $2,668 of the estimated funeral cost, which has been set at $6,000.

If you’d like to help the family, donations can be made online at www.gofundme.com/fbp96o, or by contacting PL Fry and Son at 209.239.1242. Drop-in donations – 290 North Union Road in Manteca – are also welcomed.