A Memorial Service for Bill Deal will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 16, 2022, at the First Presbyterian Church in Las Animas, Colorado.  Inurnment will follow in the Bent/Las Animas Cemetery with Military Committal Rites provided by American Legion Post #6 and V.F.W. Post #2411.

William “Bill” Deal was born on August 21, 1941, in Las Animas, Colorado to Floyd Jr. and Ellen (Brunton) Deal.  He passed away on April 4, 2022, at his home in Las Animas, Colorado at the age of 80.

Bill attended schools in Las Animas and graduated from Bent County High School in 1959.  He took great pride in being a member of the 1957 State Basketball Championship team.  In April of 1961, Bill enlisted in the United States Army.  He married his high school sweetheart, Roxanna Riggs on December 17, 1961.  They raised three kids: Rhonda, Roger and Rana.  After being honorably discharged in 1965, the family returned to Las Animas.  Bill had several jobs in the community: Fort Lyon Canal Company, police department, and finally the fire department before becoming Fire Chief at Fort Lyon.  He was actively involved in his community.  Bill served on the Las Animas School Board for 30 years and advocated for building the new elementary school.  In addition, Bill served as BOCES president, president of the Bent/Las Animas Fire District where he was instrumental in planning the new fire station, and as a member of the Light and Power Board.  He was also actively involved in the Las Animas Municipal Golf Course, Otero Junior College advisory board, and the First Presbyterian Church.  He married Ruby Ruark, June 29, 2019. 

Bill is survived by his second wife, Ruby Deal, Wellington, Colorado; children, Rhonda (Greg) Koenig of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Roger (Jodi) Deal of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Rana (Chip) Brown of Las Animas, Colorado; seven grandchildren, Jeremy (Erika) Miller, Jada (Matt) Specht, Zach Koenig, Allie Brown, Ryan Deal, Asa Brown, and Rachel (Nyssa) Deal; nine great grandchildren; brother, Robert “Bob” (Pam) Deal of Windsor, Colorado; many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Roxanna Deal.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bent/Las Animas Fire District or Bent County Golf Course Association in care of Horber Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 431, Las Animas, Colorado 81054.