Roy Joseph Deaton

Roy Joseph Deaton passed to our dear Lord on Monday, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013. It was his and his loving wife, Wanda Jean Lowder Deaton’s 62nd wedding anniversary. They were able to celebrate together their anniversary for the first time since her passing immediately after hurricane Katrina.

Roy was born in Memphis, Tennessee on November 17, 1928, to Charles Franklin Deaton and to Anna Mae Carey Deaton. He married Wanda Jean Lowder of Selmer, Tennessee and they have four children: Cary, Anne (husband Steve), Brad (wife Catherine), and Don. Roy has five grandchildren: Cary, Jr., Andrew (wife Elizabeth), Joanna, Ashley, and Bradley, Jr. He has one great grandchild, Cullen and expecting his second great grandchild, a little girl in November. Roy always expressed to others how proud he was of all of his children. He was particulary proud of his oldest son Cary who finished third out of ten candidates in 2011, for the Governor of Louisiana in which he received over 50,000 votes.

Roy attended Christian Brothers High School (CBHS) in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a star punter for the Purple Wave football team of CBHS. Upon graduation, he became a ski instructor in Yosemite, California and hung out with the famous photographer, Ansel Adams. In 1967, Roy and Wanda moved to New Orleans with an executive promotion with Sears Roebuck & Company, where he achieved several awards for outstanding performances of his assigned territories of Houma, Louisiana to Mobile, Alabama. Roy set up the famous “Sew-a-Rama” scholarships in partnership with WDSU and Terri Fletcher. Roy’s passions included golfing, boating, sailing, collection vintage Jaguar XKE’s and his favorite was watching SEC football, particularly Tennessee and LSU.

Lastly, Roy had a strong desire of helping others. He trademarked “Never a problem, just an opportunity”, and began a program with local New Orleans schools to help encourage young children to perform and to participate more adequately in class and throughout their studies

Roy was a parishioner of St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church in Metairie, Louisiana.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Funeral Mass at the Garden of Memories, 4900 Airline Drive; on Friday, September 6, 2013 at 1:00 pm. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am. Interment will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. In lieu of flowers you may send a donation to the Catholic Charities of New Orleans. Online condolences may be offered at www.gardenofmemoriesfuneralhome.com.