Celebration of Life for Dean English
On May 25, 2025, the fandom received devastating news that Warrior Nun executive Producer, Dean English, had passed away. Messages began pouring in from around the world on Twitter/X. A letter and flowers were sent to his funeral on behalf of the fandom on May 31, 2025. On June 23, 2025, The OCS Newsletter published the tribute to Dean with messages and letters from the fandom.
Dean’s family held a celebration of life in Vancouver on August 10, 2025. The family invited co-editor, Adrienne Place, of The OCS Newsletter, to attend as a representative of the fandom. movie_phan (X) moviephan1 (IG) edited an amazing video tribute to Dean. Part one is the letter read at his funeral in may and part two is the video and letter written by movie_phan / moviephan1 (IG) and read by theblackcohosh (IG) and Adrienne/ adrienneocsnewsletter (IG) sent to the family in late july. Special thank you to prince for the artwork of dean, given to the english family at his celebration of life.
ENGLISH, Robert “Dean”
May 9, 1965 - Vancouver
May 23, 2025 - Paris, France
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Dean English in Paris, France following a minor surgery.
He will be deeply missed by son Vincent, and Vincent’s mother Julie Bergeron, parents Tom and Peggy, siblings Scott (Barb), Vicki (Paul), Debbie and nieces Meika (Graham) and Tori.
Dean had a zest for life and was quick to make friends. He was charming and funny with a good measure of naughtiness. He was fun to be around and he lived life to the fullest.
He loved movies, playing chess, and watching rugby. Above all he loved to share a glass of wine or a coffee over a good conversation.
Dean attended UBC and eventually began working in the film and entertainment industry. He made connections quickly and worked on a variety of projects over the years.
The first feature length movie he produced was Kissed which won many awards and took him to film festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and others.
His biggest success came as the Executive Producer with the series Warrior Nun which developed a world wide audience of fans. Dean was also a Grammy Nominated Producer in the category of Best Music Video - Long Form. Dean’s complete Filmography can be found at www.perfect-circle.ca
Above everything else, Dean loved being a father to his son Vincent. He taught Vincent many life lessons...how to play chess and guitar, how to create great meals including cheese fondue made with French cheese smuggled into the country. They traveled extensively and loved to attend rugby matches, cheering for the All Blacks or whoever was playing England. Dean was immensely proud of Vincent, his academic accomplishments and strong work ethic.
The family plans to organize a celebration of life in Vancouver in the summer to share memories, tears and to celebrate Dean’s life. Until then remember Dean with a glass of red wine, a coffee on a summer patio or a meal at your favourite Indian restaurant.
A special thanks goes out to Julie for helping Tom and Peggy navigate logistics in Paris.
-Dean English’s Obituary written by his siblings: Scott, Vicki, and Debbie.
June 2, 2025
Hello Adrienne and all the Fandom:
Here we are, smiling as best we can. Through the tears, we cherish many happy memories of our son Dean. Tom and I are proudly wearing our halos, and Dean had his halo on in the coffin as well.
We want to thank you and the Fandom for the very kind message and the spectacular flowers you sent for his funeral in Paris. The message on the ribbon meant a great deal to us at this time. I (Peggy) actually bought the t-shirt with this message on it at your London gathering, and I love wearing it. Now, it will be even more meaningful.
At the funeral, I (Peggy/mom) shared a funny story about baby Dean (18 months). When we had company for dinner, he wouldn't go to bed and instead joined the party in his highchair. Every time someone laughed, he would laugh and clap his little hands. When they raised their glasses to say 'cheers,' he would raise his baby bottle! Even at that early age, Dean loved people, a party, and fun. He loved life and lived it with zest.
Dean was our second child of four. Our family now has a very big hole in it, and this order of dying feels all wrong. Tom and I are 86 and 87; we feel it should have been us to leave, not Dean. He leaves an older brother, Scott, and two sisters, Vicki and Debbie.
Tom and I are currently in Paris, handling legal and financial matters and sorting through Dean's files. Our daughter Deb, who has some French, will be coming over at the end of the summer to help prepare Dean's apartment for sale. Dean's son, Vincent, will now live full-time with his mom, Julie. Julie is a French-Canadian from Quebec and also a French citizen, and she has been an invaluable helper and protector for us through this time, as we do not speak French. Vincent, who is 18, has been taking exams this past week and still has a significant Physics exam on Friday. He is a very smart and wonderful young man, and we love him dearly.
Dean was very proud of his beloved son, Vincent. Dean passed away unexpectedly at his home in Paris in late May. The funeral was held on Saturday, May 31. For Tom and me, this was for the best, as our last memory of Dean is a happy one: him hopping on a bus in Whistler, heading to the Vancouver airport to fly back home to Paris. He yelled, "See you this summer!" as he had planned to return to Whistler.
With our love, thanks, and kind regards to all the Fandom and to you, Adrienne.
Tom and Peggy
June 23, 2025
We are sitting here in Whistler BC Canada, reading the tribute from the Fandom. Through tears we feel the love and we thank you all so much. Today is one month since Dean died and it is also Vicki’s 57th birthday.
How can I say how much this means to us? Only from one parent to another you will know how much our children mean to us. Tom too is sitting beside me going through the tribute and our tears are of joy for the good that Dean did and for his loss to so many. This probably isn’t making much sense but I just have to reach out and hug you through the cyber space.
Peggy
July 3, 2025
I just wanted to let you know that there will be a Celebration of Dean’s Life in August.
I appreciate that it is a long way to travel for just a few hours and I was hoping that you might allow Deb (who you met in London) or one of Dean’s siblings (Vicki or Scott) to read your first letter that you wrote to us containing all the wonderful and amazing things that the Fandom has done. If you have another idea please let me know. The presence of the Fandom at this celebration will be very important and your words were so amazing.
As you can imagine, Tom and I are gradually trying to move forward but loss of Dean has been extremely difficult and it leaves a big hole in our family. I am going to be the MC at the celebration of Dean’s life so I would love to have your permission to speak about the Fandom and have a family member read your letter.
Peggy
July 25, 2025
Hi Adrienne,
we would love for you to attend! It will be great to see and meet you again! Please let us know what your itinerary is so that we can help facilitate your arrival. The tribute video sounds wonderful!
Again, thank you so much for getting in touch with us and letting us know you will be coming!
Sincerely,
Debbie
JULY 26, 2025
This is great news and you are welcome to join the family after the event too. You and the Fandom, will be very important to those conversations and you will enjoy all the early Dean childhood and early adulthood stories! Some are very funny—Dean had A mischievous side!
See you in the Canadian Pacific Northwest——on the friendly shores!!
safe travels,
-The family
July 30, 2025
First of all, we have watched the tribute video several + times and each time it hits us just how amazing all of this is!
Again, thank you for your work on the tribute to Dean and mostly for agreeing to attend the Celebration of Dean’s Life — West Vancouver is certainly a long way out of your neighbourhood!—and we very much appreciate that you are coming all that way.
Xoxo Peggy
Dean English Celebration of Life
August 10, 2025 in Vancouver
Here is an outline of the speech I gave at Dean’s Celebration of Life.
I’m not great at talking in public unless I’m just asking questions so bear with me. Everyone has heard the first letter that goes over the fandom and how much Dean meant to us but today I want to tell you about how we met after the cancellation of Warrior Nun. It all started with a few questions (I’m known for that). It led to more questions which turned into an issue for the OCS Newsletter, then an interview. The first phone conversation I had with him, I sent HIM DIRECTLy to voicemail thinking it was a spam call, to my complete embarrassment. We stayed in contact every other week during the first few months of the Save Warrior Nun campaign and although the contact dwindled down over time, we still kept in touch to talk life and family.
In January 2024, Dean was so proud to tell me that his parents and sister were going to come to the first Warrior Nun convention. Crashing the end of your breakfast was one of the best decision of my whole life. Being able to sit with Dean and each of you while we looked though the Warrior Nun “bible” will always live on in my memories.
In our last email exchanges, he told me he “will forever cherish the start of the friendships that happened with WN. They are not finished by any means”. And the most profound message that will live with me forever is, “There is always a silver lining in every tragedy so it will emerge. Until then, cherish the loved ones around you.”
Although, I always laughed (or rolled my eyes) every time he signed off his emails with “Onwards” now I will forever cherish it and the memories I have of him and the way he changed so many lives by never giving up on his dreams.
- Adrienne Place (August 10, 2025)
