Wilberta Ray Deaton

Wilberta Ray (Combs) Deaton, 81, of Leland, NC, died Monday, September 23 at her residence. Born April 6, 1938 in Hazard, Kentucky, she was a daughter of the late George and Aileen (Engle) Combs.

Her family owned Eagle Florist and Gift Shoppe where she began designing floral arrangements at an early age. She attended Eastern Kentucky University and Mississippi State University where she majored in Horticulture.

Wilberta married Ronald J. Deaton on June 11, 1966. She and Ron have two sons; Greg (Jennifer) of Dewitt Michigan, Grant of Leland, North Carolina; two grandchildren, Alex and Jamison both of Michigan; and a brother, G. Wendell Combs of Versailles, Kentucky.

Ron and Wilberta lived in Crawfordsville, IN and Columbus, IN before establishing bi-annual homes in Dewitt, MI and Leland, NC. In Crawfordsville and Greenwood, Wilberta worked for floral shops as a designer, and in Greenwood she established her own floral and gift business.

Wilberta always believed in sharing her time and talents. She volunteered as a teacher's aide, as a Scout leader, as a teacher in English as a Second Language (ESL), at food pantries, at Love Chapel in Columbus, IN, at the Bellamy Mansion Museum in Wilmington, NC and her churches. At Christmas time, she enjoyed volunteering and helping with the Tree of Hope at Closer Walk Church. Wilberta always belonged to garden clubs and book clubs. She loved God, family, friends, people, and Pinot Grigio (maybe not always in that order).

She had life-time friends from early childhood, through elementary and high school, college, church, and all the neighborhoods where she lived. In remembering her, friends commented on her laughter and her sense of humor. One friend commented "Wilberta was in the business of making us all feel better".

Contributions are welcome to Closer Walk Church earmarked for the Wilberta Deaton Scholarship Fund, 117-C Village Road, Leland, NC 28451, in her memory.

A memorial service will be held at Closer Walk Church, Leland, NC Saturday, September 28, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Also a second service will be held at First Baptist Church, Cambridge City, IN, Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Wilberta will be inurned at Dublin Cemetery, Dublin, IN.