▁for ▁conservation ▁education ; ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁person ▁from ▁Alabama ▁to ▁receive ▁such ▁an ▁award . ▁ ▁Dean ▁was ▁inspired ▁to ▁write ▁several ▁books ▁on ▁Alabama ' s ▁zo ology ▁and ▁bot any ▁by ▁her ▁fr ustration ▁with ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁books ▁available ▁on ▁the ▁subject . ▁She ▁self - pub lished ▁Let ' s ▁Lear n ▁the ▁Bird s ▁of ▁Alabama ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁Tre es ▁and ▁S hr ubs ▁in ▁the ▁Heart ▁of ▁D ix ie ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁Let ' s ▁Lear n ▁the ▁Fern s ▁of ▁Alabama ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁and ▁Wild flow ers ▁of ▁Alabama ▁and ▁Ad jo ining ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁Dean ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁aged ▁ 8 8 , ▁from ▁comp lications ▁caused ▁by ▁a ▁major ▁stroke . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Dean ▁won ▁the ▁Alabama ▁Library ▁Association ' s ▁first ▁post hum ous ▁Ann ual ▁Author ▁Award ▁for ▁her ▁non - f iction ▁books . ▁The ▁Alabama ▁Wild flow er ▁Society ▁later ▁established ▁the ▁Bl anche ▁E . ▁Dean ▁Sch olar ship ▁Fund ▁and ▁named ▁its ▁B irmingham ▁chapter ▁after ▁Dean . ▁She ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁Alabama ▁Women ' s ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 8 9 2 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 9 7 4 ▁death s ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from