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Millvina Dean dies at the age of 97

6:30am Monday 1st June 2009

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MILLVINA Dean, the last survivor of Titanic, died yesterday at the age of 97.

Miss Dean was just nine weeks old when the historic liner sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg on her maiden transatlantic voyage from Southampton.

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She died yesterday morning after being cared for at a nursing home in Woodlands, in the New Forest.

Elizabeth Gladys Dean, known to friends as Millvina, was born on February 2, 1912 and boarded the doomed ship with her parents Bertram Frank and Georgette Eva and her elder brother Bertram.

The family, who were third class passengers, were emigrating to Wichita, Kansas, where her father had hoped to open a tobacconist shop.

When the accident happened, her father felt the ship shudder and quickly told his family to get on deck.

Miss Dean, her mother and brother were among the first steerage passengers to escape the sinking liner, but Mr Dean was unable to get onto a lifeboat and perished in the disaster.

They returned to England aboard the Adriatic where "Millvina became quite a spectacle: that such a tiny baby could have came through the ordeal alive," according to Encyclopedia-Titanica.

Miss Dean's family returned to Southampton and she did not find out that she had been on board the vessel until she was eight and her mother was planning to remarry.

Earlier this month Hollywood actors Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, who starred in the film Titanic, donated cash to help pay Miss Dean's nursing home fees.

She was forced to auction off personal belongings and memorabilia associated with the sinking of the liner to help cover £3,000 per month for care.

Irish author Don Mullan, a friend of Miss Dean, launched the Millvina Fund to secure her future, and sold photographs of the pensioner to raise profits for the fund.

It is believed that Winslet, DiCaprio and director James Cameron donated £22,000.



Your Say YourEcho

Saint Rob, Southampton, Freemantle says...
8:49pm Sun 31 May 09

Aww thats such a shame. God Bless!!!

fatboy, Southampton says...
8:51pm Sun 31 May 09

A lady who made her 15 minutes of fame last 97 years, good on her!

I,ve had my fifteen minutes of fame, that was enough for me. That Leroy stole the show!

Glen Wiffen, Holbury says...
8:55pm Sun 31 May 09

A true survivor, its a shame she couldnt make the 100 years mark.

Saintlygirl, Southampton says...
9:56pm Sun 31 May 09

RIP Millvina. XX

saturn, says...
10:07pm Sun 31 May 09

What a great shame, I met her at junior school when she came in to give a talk on the Titanic, she was a very nice lady. R.I.P xx

dbuxey52, Southampton says...
10:39pm Sun 31 May 09

I'm truly sorry that this dear lady didn't live to see her hundredth birthday. May she rest in peace.

soton1980, Southampton/Winchester/Fareham says...
10:46pm Sun 31 May 09

Rest In Peace

eurogordi, Totton says...
11:05pm Sun 31 May 09

My daughter and I were privileged to meet Millvina a few years ago when she was shopping in Totton.

It was an amazing experience to speak with someone who was part of such a well known historic event and maritime tragedy.

However, can I also point out a couple of rather intriquing facts that the Echo has failed to mention?

The hull of 'Titanic' was launched on 31st May 1911 ... Millvina Dean, the last surviving passenger, died on 31st May 2009.

The 'Titanic' began to sink shortly before midnight on 14th April 1912 ... Bertram Dean, Millvina's brother, died on 14th April 1992.

Arcane, Southampton says...
11:10pm Sun 31 May 09

RIP Millvina Dean xx

Maybe they could use the remainder of the fund towards the Titanic Memorial??

fatboy, Southampton says...
11:13pm Sun 31 May 09

eurogordi wrote:
My daughter and I were privileged to meet Millvina a few years ago when she was shopping in Totton. It was an amazing experience to speak with someone who was part of such a well known historic event and maritime tragedy. However, can I also point out a couple of rather intriquing facts that the Echo has failed to mention? The hull of 'Titanic' was launched on 31st May 1911 ... Millvina Dean, the last surviving passenger, died on 31st May 2009. The 'Titanic' began to sink shortly before midnight on 14th April 1912 ... Bertram Dean, Millvina's brother, died on 14th April 1992.
Gosh................
....................
....................
....................
....................
...........oh, and big deal! only a 365 to 1 chance of that happening then.

Lone Ranger, Southampton says...
8:45am Mon 1 Jun 09

Good bless Millvina



I wonder what David Guest will do for free publicity now

hulla baloo, Turkey says...
8:51am Mon 1 Jun 09

"Last survivor of Titanic, MIllvina Dean, dies"

Come on Echo, at least get the letters right.

bumblysaint, new forest says...
10:33am Mon 1 Jun 09

Sorry to hear the news.She came over as such a nice lady.
If there's such a place or thing as
Heaven,hope her Dad
can be waiting there for her along with the rest of her family.Rest in Peace.

Kelsie, Fawley says...
10:35am Mon 1 Jun 09

What a shame.

RIP Millvina xXx

XRT, Southampton says...
12:27pm Mon 1 Jun 09

RIP

x x

Old Jester, Butts Ash says...
2:36pm Mon 1 Jun 09

fatboy wrote:
eurogordi wrote:
My daughter and I were privileged to meet Millvina a few years ago when she was shopping in Totton. It was an amazing experience to speak with someone who was part of such a well known historic event and maritime tragedy. However, can I also point out a couple of rather intriquing facts that the Echo has failed to mention? The hull of 'Titanic' was launched on 31st May 1911 ... Millvina Dean, the last surviving passenger, died on 31st May 2009. The 'Titanic' began to sink shortly before midnight on 14th April 1912 ... Bertram Dean, Millvina's brother, died on 14th April 1992.
Gosh................

....................

....................

....................

....................

...........oh, and big deal! only a 365 to 1 chance of that happening then.
Wouldn't the probability for the two events be 365 squared? That'd be, more like 13,000 to 1.

fatboy, Southampton says...
5:05pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Old Jester wrote:
fatboy wrote:
eurogordi wrote: My daughter and I were privileged to meet Millvina a few years ago when she was shopping in Totton. It was an amazing experience to speak with someone who was part of such a well known historic event and maritime tragedy. However, can I also point out a couple of rather intriquing facts that the Echo has failed to mention? The hull of 'Titanic' was launched on 31st May 1911 ... Millvina Dean, the last surviving passenger, died on 31st May 2009. The 'Titanic' began to sink shortly before midnight on 14th April 1912 ... Bertram Dean, Millvina's brother, died on 14th April 1992.
Gosh................ .................... .................... .................... .................... ...........oh, and big deal! only a 365 to 1 chance of that happening then.
Wouldn't the probability for the two events be 365 squared? That'd be, more like 13,000 to 1.
Sorry, I was'nt thinking. but "that'd be, more like" is not to precise either?

damehippy, calmore says...
6:24pm Mon 1 Jun 09

i met this lady a few years ago and she sent both my children a signed photo, a very interesting and pleasant lady. R.I.P

Old Jester, Butts Ash says...
9:55pm Mon 1 Jun 09

fatboy wrote:
Old Jester wrote:
fatboy wrote:
eurogordi wrote: My daughter and I were privileged to meet Millvina a few years ago when she was shopping in Totton. It was an amazing experience to speak with someone who was part of such a well known historic event and maritime tragedy. However, can I also point out a couple of rather intriquing facts that the Echo has failed to mention? The hull of 'Titanic' was launched on 31st May 1911 ... Millvina Dean, the last surviving passenger, died on 31st May 2009. The 'Titanic' began to sink shortly before midnight on 14th April 1912 ... Bertram Dean, Millvina's brother, died on 14th April 1992.
Gosh................ .................... .................... .................... .................... ...........oh, and big deal! only a 365 to 1 chance of that happening then.
Wouldn't the probability for the two events be 365 squared? That'd be, more like 13,000 to 1.
Sorry, I was'nt thinking. but "that'd be, more like" is not to precise either?
Sorry fatboy, I was wrong, it should have been 133225 to 1. It was early in my part of the world when I wrote that and I hadn't had my first cup of tea!

TitanCarpath, Dublin Ireland says...
10:58pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Millvina was a great ambassador for the City of Southampton. A lady who was admired and respected worldwide. She will be sadly missed

haisey, west end says...
10:43am Tue 2 Jun 09

My mother, Edith Haisman, at 100 years of age in 1996, became the world's oldest living survivor of the Titanic disaster. Her and Milvina Dean attended many Titanic functions together and were great friends. Milvina enjoyed listening to my mother describing what life was like for a teenager onboard the ship as she was 15 years of age at the time and remembered a great deal about that aspect of the voyage.Between them they would sometimes ask what all the fuss was about, typical of those grand old ladies.Our mother always asked if Milvina would be attending a function she was attending as they enjoyed each others company so much. They are together now and will be sadly missed.
David Haisman

Comments are closed on this article.

Millvina Dean Titanic Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in a scene from the blockbuster film Titanic

Millvina Dean

Titanic at Dock Gate 4, Southampton

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in a scene from the blockbuster film Titanic




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