Russell Deats

Russell VanDoran Deats III, 69, of Wilmington NC passed away at 11:30 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2020 in his home. 

He was born August 21, 1951 in Dover NJ to Russell V Deats Jr and Cinthia Gruben Deats. 

He graduated from Randolph High School in New Jersey in 1969. He then moved to North Carolina where he attended NC State University and received a degree in Computer Science. Shortly after he moved to Kinston where he met his wife Phyllis Anne Deats. They were married on August 31, 1987 and enjoyed 33 wonderful years of marriage. He served as a firefighter in Kinston for North Lenoir Volunteer Fire Department, where he also became a Chief for 11 years. He worked for DuPont in several positions over more than 23 years and would eventually come to work for Computer Science Corp managing projects for companies like Gulf Stream Aerospace. He moved with his family to Wilmington NC in October of 1998 where he resided at the time of his passing. He served as an active member in the community eventually becoming president of the Riverfest festival for several years. He was a secretary for Roseys Rescue, and enjoyed working with them. He was a loving husband, a wonderful father, an amazing grandpa and friend to so many people. He was a faithful servant of Christ and was a member of Wrightsville United Methodist Church.

He is preceded in death by his parents Cinthia Gruben Deats and Russell V Deats Jr, his stepmother Eleanor Anson Deats and his sister Sharon Lynne Henderson. 

Left to cherish his life and memory are his wife Phyllis Anne Deats, his children Russell V Deats IV, Martha Phyllis Bibb and husband Dylan Bibb, their sons Chace Bibb and Drake Bibb, his sister Stephanie Jamieson and husband Perry Jamieson, his brother Fred Deats and his daughters Jessica Deats and Cinthia Deibel and her son Elijah Deibel, his step-sister Susan Cummings and husband Gary Cummings, his nephew Tom Stapleton and wife Jenn Stapleton and their sons Caleb Stapleton, Isaiah Stapleton and Luke Stapleton, and a special family friend who was like a son to Russ, Guillaume Noel, along with countless other family and friends. 

Funeral Services will be held at Howard-Carter Funeral Home 2:00 pm Sunday October 4, 2020 with burial to follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park Kinston, NC.

There will be a Memorial Service held at the Battleship Park, 1 Battleship Road NE Wilmington, NC 28401, on Friday October 2, 2020 at 5:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in honor of Russell Deats to Venmo account “@RussDeatsMemorial” or by calling Corning Credit Union in, Wilmington NC at (910) 392-6688 and donating to the Russ Deats Memorial.