On Saturday, May 26, the Radford City Schools Partners for Excellence Foundation opened the Arnheim house to the public for the first time in several decades.
The Civil War era home was built by Dr. John Blair Radford for whom the city is named.
At a private donor luncheon held earlier in the afternoon, the Partners Foundation honored a beloved Radford citizen Dr. Minnie Lee Dean by naming this new educational site in her memory.
Dean retired to her native Radford in 1994 after an outstanding career in education, both as a teacher and principal of schools in Alexandria, and in Long Island, N.Y. Her commitment to the Radford community during her retirement is both extensive and impressive.
She founded the Radford Clothing Bank where she served over 1,500 hours annually as its volunteer coordinator for over 16 years, during which time it grew to serve over 2,700 patrons annually.
Dean also served with the New River Valley Chapter of Habitat for Humanities, including a period as its interim director was elected to the Radford City School Board and served as its Chair for two years.
Dean was a past Chair of the Radford Heritage Foundation and Director of the Glencoe Museum and led the efforts to begin rehabilitating Arnheim, a home she very much wanted to preserve.
Additionally, Dean chaired the Education Committee of the Radford Chamber of Commerce and was recognized by City Council on April 11, 2011, for her outstanding leadership in service to the community and received an honorary Key to the City.
