Amie Therese East

Amie Therese Dean East passed away in Austin on January 30, 2011 at the age of 93. Therese, or T, was born in Dallas and grew up in northeast Texas. The daughter of a school superintendant, and a brilliant student, she earned a B.A. in Journalism from U.T. Austin before she was 21, after which she and her girlfriends (including beloved “Dumpy”) moved to New York City. T was an actress, model, and puppeteer when she met a handsome West Point cadet, John Ross East, Jr., on the sidelines of a West Point football game. T and “Jack” fell in love, married in 1941 after his graduation, and he immediately went off to flight school. Jack served as a pilot in the Pacific Theater during WWII, and T moved in with her mother (sweet Blanchie) and grandmother (Mommie) in San Antonio, doing volunteer work in the military hospitals until Jack’s return. After the war T and Jack traveled a lot and made lifelong friends, particularly enjoying postings in England and the San Francisco Bay area.

Later, with four kids in tow, T and family spent four years in France, acquired a new “daughter” Lis, and traveled around Europe at every opportunity. T and Jack retired to San Marcos, Texas, in 1968, and T attended graduate school in theater at Texas State, acting in numerous plays, commercials, and films shot in the area. She won awards for her thousands of hours of volunteer work for the Texas Talking Books Program, read for the residents of a local nursing home, and, as she did wherever she went, made a whole new circle of friends. She and Jack moved to Austin in 2006 to be nearer the children. She spent a lot of time with family the last few years, and was cared for with the greatest love by daughter-in-law Norris. Warmest thanks to her wonderful attendants, most recently Candance, but also to past helpers Salmah and Ellen and many others.

T is survived by four children, John Ross East III and wife Carol of Anchorage, Brian East and sweetheart Norris of Austin, Philippa Taylor and husband Zack of Del Valle, and Connie Garcia and husband Mike of Del Valle; and four grandchildren, Shane McGee, Artie Garcia, Brenden Taylor, and Chloe East. She was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, Jack, and by her parents A.B.C. Dean and Blanche Hardee Dean.

T was a talented and beloved child, a campus beauty, an actress and social butterfly, and a warm and loving wife, mother and grandmother. A bigger-than-life personality. We love you Mama.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Feb. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Weed-Corley-Fish on N. Lamar in Austin. Services will be in the Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. Interment will be at the National Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on Feb. 4 at 9:45 a.m.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to the Texas Talking Books Program or to a charity of your choice.