Delano “Cobby” Deans, 80, passed away peacefully at his home in Ayden on Tuesday, November 29th, 2022.

The funeral service will be held on Friday, December 2, 2022, at 2 pm in the Wilkerson Funeral Chapel.  The graveside service will be private.  The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 1, 2022, from 6 – 8 pm at Wilkerson Funeral Home.

Cobby was born in Edgecombe County to Otis and Sarah Deans. He graduated from Belvoir-Falkland High School and East Carolina University with a degree in Health and P.E. He began his teaching and coaching career at Farm Life High School in 1966. He coached both the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams at Bethel High School with the women winning four consecutive conference championships. He guided the North Pitt Women’s Basketball team to the State Championship in 1972 and served as Men’s basketball coach and athletic director from 1971-1988. In 1988 he left North Pitt for D.H. Conley where he served as the Men’s Basketball Coach and Athletic Trainer from 1988-1997. He led Conley to a state championship in 1990 and was inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2019. He was inducted into the D.H. Conley Hall of Fame in 2021.

Cobby taught Driver’s Ed for 25 years to 25% of Pitt County. He was a member of Ayden Christian Church where he served as a deacon for several years. He was an avid golfer and member of Ayden Golf and Country Club until his declining health limited his activities. Always a coach and forever interested in young people, he was central to establishing the Parent-Child Tournament and played with his grandchildren numerous times.

He is survived by his: wife of 45 years, Gaynell; daughters, Sera Huff and husband, Chris and Renee Boltinhouse and husband, Jeff; grandchildren, Jonathan Huff and wife, Heather, Mary Beth Hertz and husband, Steven, Jason Huff and wife, Sarah, Kimberly Boltinhouse and fiancé, Andy Baxter, Dean Boltinhouse, and Jeremy Huff and wife, Rebekah; 11 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Gloria Stox and husband, Wayne; nephew, Kevin Stox and wife, Ellen; grandniece, Lucy Stox;

and special fur babies, Rudy, Rexy, and Cousin Scooby.

In lieu of flowers please make a contribution in his memory to the Pitt County Animal Shelter, National Kidney Foundation or Ayden Christian Church.