Kenneth Frank "Kenny" Deyton

Kenneth Frank "Kenny" Deyton, age 71, of Burnsville, passed away on Friday, May 2nd, 2025, at Mission Hospital. A native of Yancey County, he was the son of the late Frank and Nona Kate Howell Deyton, both retired school teachers in Yancey County. He was also preceded in death by two aunts: Mildred Griffith and Helen Peterson; and uncles: Charles Deyton and Nat Lee Howell.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, Frank and Nona moved back to Burnsville with Kenny where he attended Burnsville Elementary School, earning the honor of an Eagle Scout, then graduated from East Yancey High School in 1971. The summer following graduation, he became a lifeguard at Carolina Hemlocks. In the summer of 1973, he went to fight fires in Montana and California, and worked on the district for several years doing surveying and timber. He then attended Lees-McRae College, and earned his associate degree in forestry from Haywood Community College. After college, Kenny began working for the U.S. Forest Service, then the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, later retiring after a number of years. Kenny was a member and safety officer of the Burnsville Fire Department and was known for his famous Dutch oven peach cobbler. He was also a member of the Burnsville Masonic Lodge #717 A.F. & A.M.
From the time he was a boy, he seemed born to the outdoors. Nature wasn't just a hobby to him – it was his calling and always gave him a sense of peace. Years later, he took that lifelong passion and built something lasting on the land that raised generations of Deytons before him. Triggers, Traps and Trout. It wasn't just a clever business name, but a reflection of a life lived close to the earth, and it became a haven for those who shared his love for shooting, hunting and fishing. Whether you were a seasoned outdoorsman, or a kid who was given his first gun or fly rod, Kenny had time for you. He always took the time to share his wisdom, stories, and the kind of mentorship that can't be taught, only lived. He had a gift for storytelling, the kind that pulled you in like a warm campfire on a cold night. He could recall the bend in the river where the trout always struck, or the old trail where he'd seen his first buck. But even more than the stories he told, it was the life he lived that inspired so many - one of integrity, self-reliance, laughter, and times well spent with friends. But beyond all that, it was his devotion to family, especially his parents, daughter, and grandchildren that he loved with every fiber of his being, that mattered most in his life.
Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Missy Bullard, and husband, Mike, of North Myrtle Beach, SC; three grandchildren, Camden, Ryker and Hawkins, otherwise known to their PaPa as "The Tribe"; lifetime friend and "buddy", Harriet Vess McGinnis of Mars Hill; his loyal canine companion, Levi; his range buddies from Friday nights and fire-fighting buddies, as well as numerous cousins, and too many friends to list.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 9th, in the chapel of Yancey Funeral Service. His buddy, "Preacher" Ricky Woody will officiate. Kenny will be laid to rest on his beloved property at Triggers, Traps and Trout in the Hidden Valley Family Cemetery following the services with Masonic rites conducted by the Burnsville Masonic Lodge #717 A.F. & A.M. The family will receive friends from 12 noon until 2 p.m. prior to the services at the funeral home.
As we mourn the loss of a wonderful man, we also celebrate a life well-lived and will hold his memories close to our hearts. So, let us carry forward his legacy, share out stories of him, and never forget the man who showed us the way. Rest easy, Kenny you've gone ahead to scout the trail, and we'll see you again down by the water.
The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Burnsville Fire Department at P.O. Box 461, Burnsville, NC 28714.