Obituaries

Earl Armell Deal

Photo of Earl Armell Deal Photo of Earl Armell Deal
Earl Armell Deal went to be with his Lord on Saturday, August 29, 2015. He was born on June 15, 1929 near Ladelle, (Drew County), ARrk. the youngest child of Ed Richard Deal and Laura Clyde Ferguson Deal. Mr. Deal graduated from Drew Central High School in Monticello in 1947 and served in the U.S. Air Force in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was married to his loving wife, the former Willie Jewel Thurman, on August 5, 1950. In January 1987, he retired from Georgia Pacific Corporation and the Crossett Company after 40 years of service. Mr. Deal moved to Crossett and joined First Baptist Church of Crossett in 1947 where he served as a Sunday School teacher, a deacon, president of his Sunday school class, and for 34 years was the Head Greeter/Usher. He was elected to the Ashley County Quorum Court for five terms, serving for 10 years from 2003-2012. During his tenure, he served as chairman of the county hospital committee. He enjoyed hunting with his family and was a founding member of Deal's Deer Camp in Drew County, Ark. He also enjoyed fishing, camping, gardening and working in his shop. Mr. Deal was preceded in death by a son, Michael Earl Deal; a grandson, Matthew Gary Johnson; his parents, brothers, Calvin Frank Deal and Shirley Ervin Deal; sisters, Gladys Deal Daniel, Willie Deal Pritchard, Margaret Deal Smith; and infant sister Jessie Deal. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Willie Thurman Deal of Crossett; a daughter, Debbie Deal Johnson and her husband, Gary Don Johnson of Little Rock, AR; two granddaughters, Rebekah Johnson Bloyd and her husband Caleb Michael Bloyd of Oklahoma City, OK, and Deborah Johnson Edwards and her husband Frazier Allen Edwards of Little Rock; two great-grandchildren, Michael Johnson Bloyd of Oklahoma City, Okla. and Charlotte Jewel Edwards of Little Rock, Ark.; two sisters-in-law, Carolyn Thurman Lochala and Lila King Thurman, both of Crossett, Ark.; several nephews and nieces and a special neighbor, Raymond Waters. Visitation will take place at First Baptist Church Sanctuary on Tuesday, September 1 from 6-8 p.m. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015 at First Baptist Church of Crossett, Ark., with Rev. Jamie Staley and Rev. Tracy Reed officiating. Burial will be at Pinewood Memorial Park in Crossett, Ark. with arrangements by Jones Funeral Home of Crossett. Pallbearers will be his six nephews Gayle Russell Deal, Edward Carroll Deal, Vern Leroy Deal, Thomas Keith Smith, Barry Herbert Smith, Gregory Steven Smith and Elton Edgar Dumas. Honorary pallbearers are members of the Phillip Gilmore Senior Men's Sunday School Class. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 701 Main Street, Crossett, Ark. 71635 or Immanuel Baptist Church, 501 N. Shackleford Road, Little Rock, Ark. 72211.

Published September 1, 2015

Upcoming Events