Dean St. Dennis of Port Haywood, Va., died on Jan. 11, 2015, after a long struggle with congestive heart failure.

He was born on Dec. 8, 1930, in the logging town of Forks, Wash. He attended Reed College in Portland, Ore. He became a journalist, working on several newspapers before becoming a reporter for the Associated Press and later the San Francisco Chronicle. He then moved to Washington, D.C., where he was appointed Assistant Director of Public Affairs under the Attorney General Ramsey Clark at the U.S. Department of Justice. He later worked for the LEAA and set up the press office for Archibald Cox during the Watergate investigation.

He retired at the age of 71 from the FBI, where he was Assistant Director of Public Affairs under the Director Louis Freeh.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents, John Clarke and Aileen Steen St. Dennis; his sister, Patricia Ann Sheffel, and his son, Paavo Kai St. Dennis.

He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Helena Uunila St. Dennis; his daughter, Erika Mai St. Dennis and her husband James Preston Sparrer, M.D.; his brother, Bruce John St. Dennis; his brother-in-law, Ralph Sheffel; his sisters-in-law, Laila Monahan, Edith Taylor and her husband Lonn, and Kirsti Uunila and her wife Becky Morehouse; nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In keeping with Dean’s wishes, there will be no funeral or memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, you may donate to Hands Across Mathews, P.O. Box 1303, Mathews, Va. 23109 or to the Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 723, Mathews, Va. 23109.

The family warmly thanks the whole Riverside Hospice Team, especially Christy Parker-McCuistion and Gina Rowe. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.fosterfaulkner.com