Brett Deal was born on Aug. 1, 1955, to Borden and Babs H. Deal. Both of his parents were writers and successful novelists who encouraged him to be passionate about learning. Brett attended Millbrook School in New York before going to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he not only earned a Bachelor of Arts degree but also met his future wife who was the love of his life.
Brett’s home library contained thousands of books, many of which are written in several different languages, especially Russian and Greek. He was a history buff and loved literature which ultimately gave him the motivation to study the Russian language. He was outstanding in his ability to learn how to read and speak Russian, and he enjoyed teaching the language to others. He was always very proud of his students.
Brett was an adventurer and an explorer. He was interested in many different things from art museums to Civil War battlefields. He was an ambitious hiker, naming Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains as his favorites. His love of animals, especially dogs and cats, led him to be a volunteer dog walker.
Brett enjoyed watching movies and listening to a variety of music including classical, with Beethoven as his favorite, old rock and roll like Chicago, and the blues. He was such a big fan of The Grateful Dead he could claim his right to be called a “Dead Head.” He also loved to cook and bake, with bread being his specialty. He left a freezer full of different types of flour just waiting to be turned into delicious loaves and pastries.
Brett passed from this life on Nov. 14, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Karen L. Wallace; sister, Ashley D. Moss; half-sister, Terry Weinburg; niece, Amber; great-niece, Isabella; great-nephew, Roman; aunt, June Hans. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Shane Deal Townsend.
A private service will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Appalachian Animal Rescue, 1521 Old Murphy Road, Franklin, NC 28734.
Online condolences may be made at moffittfunerals.com. Moffitt Family Funeral Care is honored to serve Brett’s family.