Dewey Gerald Mears

Dewey attended Levelland High School. As a teenager he became interested in photography. He studied as an apprentice at the Art Studio in Lubbock and then opened his own studio in Levelland. During WWII, Dewey was stationed at Camp Swift near Bastrop where he became an official US Army photographer. After he was discharged in 1945, he opened up Mears Photography in Austin.

Dewey began his photography business doing portraits, weddings, events, and commercial photography. In the early 1950’s, he dedicated his work toward architectural photography. After many years of architectural subjects, he enjoyed a variety of commercial and product photography.

Over the years he collected many awards for his photographs. He was president of the Austin Photographers Guild in 1955. He received his Masters Degree from the Photographers’ Association of America in 1956 along with an additional 25 merits to his credit. He was president of the Texas Professional Photographers Assn. in 1965 where he produced the first association’s magazine, “Texas Professional Photographer”, which is still in production today.

He was preceded in death by his parents, son Jerry, and grandson Charlie. He is survived by his wife, Charity Birdwell Mears, son Bill Mears and wife Jennifer, daughter Norma Blair and husband Dave, son Don Mears and wife Crystal, daughter Glenda Caskey and husband Bill, son Danny Butler and wife Jeanne, 10 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 P.M., Sunday, January 20, 2013 at The Summit at Westlake Hills, 1034 Liberty Park Drive in Austin. Entombment Services will follow at 3:30 P.M. at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park Mausoleum.