A native of Iredell County, Bill was one of 10 children born to the late Clyde Osborne Deal and the late Myrtle Belle Frieze Deal. He truly was a Deal through and through, and his tenacity and stubbornness served him well in his fight against cancer.
A U.S. Army veteran, he served for two years, and was stationed in Germany. He attended China Grove High School and completed his GED during military service. He ran Deal’s Auto Upholstery and Glass in Kannapolis for 25 years. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, China Grove, for 60 years.
Bill is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sharon Dial Deal, whom he married on Nov. 28, 1959; two daughters, Amanda Deal Smith (Sheldon) of Cornelius and Laura Deal Rousey (Mitch) of China Grove; four grandchildren, Reece, Davis, Aaron and Becca; a sister, Sue Gallman (Mike) of Columbus, Ga., and numerous nieces and nephews.
Also preceding him in death were his brothers, Arnold Deal, Alvin Deal, Kenneth Deal, Fred Deal, Frank Deal; and his sisters, Ruth Feimster, Margaret Ridenhour, and Faye Sutton.
In his early years, Bill enjoyed fishing, hunting, and water skiing. He also enjoyed shooting skeet and trap and was the 1971 NC State Shoot Handicap Champion. After retirement, he enjoyed golfing, traveling and spending time at Beech Mountain. He also loved spending time with his family and his many friends.
For the last decade, a highlight for Bill was an annual wiener roast that eventually grew into a large gathering for family and friends. After his diagnosis this summer, he and his family decided to put on the biggest wiener roast ever. Some 150 guests attended the Sept. 28 event. The evening ended with a grand fireworks display. Like everyone else, Bill looked up and watched the bursts of red, green, gold and purple light up the dark night sky. His face was lit intermittently by the kaleidoscopic display, and he was smiling. His face is now lit by eternal light, and we know that he is looking down on us and smiling.
Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Friday night, Dec. 27, at Linn Honeycutt Funeral Home, China Grove.
Funeral Service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, at First United Methodist Church, China Grove.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081 or St. Jude Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.linnhoneycuttfuneralhome.com
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