Representative Nathan Deal

Nathan Dean (May 9, 1934 – June 8, 2013) was an American insurance executive and long-serving Georgia legislator from Rockmart, Georgia, who also held local office and rose to leadership positions within the state’s Democratic Party. Over the course of more than four decades in public life, he served on the Rockmart City Council, in the Georgia House of Representatives, and for 15 consecutive terms in the Georgia General Assembly as Senator for District 31. In a separate federal capacity, Nathan Deal served as a Representative from Georgia in the United States Congress from 1993 to 2010. A member of the Republican Party, Nathan Deal contributed to the legislative process during nine terms in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents during a significant period in American history.

Nathan Dean was born at home in a house in the Goodyear Village of Rockmart, Polk County, Georgia, on May 9, 1934, the youngest of seven children. Raised in a working community in northwest Georgia, he attended local schools and graduated from Rockmart High School. He later pursued higher education and became a graduate of Shorter University in Rome, Georgia. Dean also served in the United States Army, an experience that preceded his civilian professional career and helped shape his sense of duty and public service.

Following his military service, Nathan Dean entered the insurance field and worked as an insurance executive. In addition to his professional career, he was active in community and civic affairs in Rockmart and the surrounding area. His engagement in local issues and his interest in serving the community led him into elective office at the municipal level, where he began his 42 years of public service as a councilman for the city of Rockmart. This early experience in local government provided the foundation for his later legislative work at the state level.

Dean advanced to state office with his election to the Georgia House of Representatives, where he served for 12 years from 1963 to 1975. During his tenure in the House, he represented his constituents through a period of social and political change in Georgia, gaining experience in state policymaking and building a reputation as an accessible and responsive public official. His service in the House concluded when he successfully sought election to the Georgia State Senate.

In 1974, Nathan Dean was elected to the Georgia State Senate from District 31 and began serving in 1975. He would go on to serve 15 consecutive terms in the Georgia General Assembly as senator for that district. As senator, Dean represented both Polk and Haralson Counties and parts of Bartow and Paulding Counties, advocating for the needs of his largely rural and small-town constituency. Within the Senate, he rose to positions of influence, serving as Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Georgia, roles that placed him at the center of party strategy and legislative leadership in the state.

Dean was widely regarded as a hands-on legislator who maintained close contact with his constituents. An often-cited example of his personal approach occurred in 2001, when Mr. and Mrs. Ray and Shirley Pitts of Acworth, Georgia, received direct correspondence from the senator after he saw a letter they had written seeking redress of grievances. His responsiveness and accessibility contributed to his long tenure in office and the trust he enjoyed among voters. In 1992, Dean was indicted on a charge of “false writing over the use of [government] grant funds”; however, the charge was dismissed, and he was re-elected by his constituency, who upheld confidence in his integrity and continued to return him to office.

Over the course of his career, Nathan Dean received recognition for his civic and legislative service. The Rockmart community center was named in his honor, reflecting his longstanding commitment to his hometown and its residents. He was also named Senator of the Year by the Georgia Municipal Association, an acknowledgment of his work on behalf of local governments and municipalities across the state. Dean remained a prominent figure in northwest Georgia public life until his death on June 8, 2013, leaving a legacy of extended service in local and state government.