Alice Margaret MacFarland Deal, 92, was called to her heavenly home on Thursday, July 9, 2020. She died of natural causes from progressive congestive heart failure.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 28, 1928, young Alice ventured down to Norfolk, Virginia, with a friend. There she met a handsome young veteran of World War II, Ervin Elwood Deal. It was love at first sight for both of them. They married on Oct. 2, 1948 and remained married for 57 years until his death on July 11, 2007.
To summarize Alice’s priorities in life was her love for God, for her family and for her church. She and her husband Ervin raised two children together, Jimmy (James E. Deal) and Leann (Dr. Leann Ruth Deal Moore). They moved from Portsmouth to Gloucester in 1963.
Alice was a wonderful homemaker and later became a school bus driver for Gloucester County Public Schools, where she worked for 25 years. She was an active member of Gloucester Point Baptist Church for 57 years, singing in the choir, serving as choir director for 25 years, teaching Sunday school and a member of the Woman’s Missionary Union, and many other mission projects. In more recent years she was a member of Seniors Morning Out and still sang in the choir whenever she was able. Alice made friends everywhere she went with her warmth, joy, kindness and undeniable sense of fashion. She will be missed by so many of us whose lives were made richer, better and happier for knowing her.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ervin E. Deal, and her son, James E. Deal. Survivors include her devoted daughter, Dr. Leann Ruth Deal Moore and husband, Dr. Staley C. Moore; five grandchildren, Christina M. Moore, Nancy Allison Moore of New Bern, North Carolina; Teresa E. Deal, Ervin E. Deal II, and Charles E. Deal of Newport News, Virginia; one great-granddaughter, Coral A.E. Deal Baines of Suffolk, Virginia; one sister, Ruth A. MacFarland of Brigantine, New Jersey, as well as many additional family members, friends and acquaintances whose life she brightened with her smile and warmth.
A graveside service, conducted by the Rev. Ray “Bud” Goude Jr., will be held 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 18 at Rosewell Memorial Garden Cemetery of Hayes. In Alice’s memory, contributions may be made to Gloucester Point Baptist Church, Building Funds or Missions, P.O. Box 305, Gloucester Point, Va. 23062. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic social distancing requirements will be followed and masks are required.
Services under the direction of Hogg Funeral Home.