Brian Ray Deal

Brian Ray Deal: May 11, 2011 AMERICUS — Mr. Brian Ray Deal, 33, passed away early on Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at his home in Americus. Eucharist funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 15, 2011, at Calvary Episcopal Church, Lee Street, Americus with Father Don Hutchens, rector at the Church officiating. Interment will follow in the family burial ground in Oak Grove Cemetery in Americus. Mr. Deal’s family will receive visitors at the home of his parents, Bill and Sandra Murray, 325 S. Lee St., in Americus. Brian was born Dec. 22, 1977, in Albany, Ga., to Sandra Merritt Deal and Billy R. Deal of Dawson, Ga. He was a member, along with his son Noah, his sister Summer, and his parents of Calvary Episcopal Church, having been baptized into the Episcopal faith, alongside his son Noah. Brian leaves to mourn his passing two small sons: Noah Jonathan Deal, age four, born in Americus on April 3,2007, and William (Will) Brian Deal, age six months, born in Americus on Dec. 4, 2010. He is also survived by his beloved sister, Summer Murray, and parents Bill and Sandra Murray, and by his maternal grandmother, Mrs. George (Sara) P. Merritt, of Benevolence, Randolph County, Ga. His maternal grandfather was the late George P. Merritt of Benevolence. His paternal grandparents were the late Mr. and Mrs. Z. R. Deal of Dawson, Ga. Brian is survived by numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins. Brian graduated from Americus High School in 1996. He attended Georgia Southern University business school on a full swimming scholarship in Statesboro. He was an outstanding competition swimmer for the Americus Blue Tide and the Georgia Southern swim teams, setting various records in his swimming career. He was a Red Cross Certified Life Guard and was employed by the Americus and Sumter County Recreational Department in that capacity. He coached Little League Softball in the Americus-Sumter recreational program. In 2001-2006 he was employed as a swim coach at the Ashford-Dunwoody YMCA in Atlanta, returning home in 2006, to work in his family’s business interests. He managed distribution for the Sumter Free Press, helped with his family’s property management and was currently working as an increasingly skilled legal assistant in his father’s law office, assisting him in the preparation of trial exhibits and set-up in the courtroom. Serving as Active Pallbearers are Brian Barnes, Dr. John Fennessy, Mike Goglin, Shane Gosa, Bill Hall, Rusty Merritt, Ben Wisham, and Jeff Wisham. Serving as Honorary Pallbearers are Coach Tim Demott and the Americus Blue Tide Swim Team, Mayor Barry Blount, Chief James A. Greene, Reggie Daniel Bill McGowan, Dan McGowan, Babe McGowan, Harry McGowan, Matthew Barnes, Dan Jones, Larry Stanley, Nick Stanley, Scott Byrd, and Kevin Hagerson. Hancock Funeral Home, Americus, is in charge of arrangements.