Rebecca Darlene Deal

She was born on May 8, 1954, in Paris, Arkansas, and grew up in Havana, Arkansas. She graduated from Danville High School in 1972. In the 1980s, she worked as a dosimetry technician at Arkansas Nuclear One, and in the 1990s, she served as a church secretary at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She and her husband, James David Deal also lived and worked in Aiken, SC, and Carlsbad, NM, and took many trips with a focus on Christian ministry.

In 2020, she moved to Snellville, GA, to be closer to family. She was a member of Sunrise Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where she was active in the choir and served on the missions committee. She also sang in the Georgia Worship Choir.

Surviving are her four children:

• Jason Dopson (Theresa) of Snellville, GA

• Leigh Dopson Hill (Daniel) of Grayson, GA

• David L. Deal (Kathi) of Snellville, GA

• Daniel Deal (Leigh Anne) of Stanardsville, VA

She is also survived by six grandchildren: Bryce Dopson, Hailey Dopson, Kaylee Deal, Braden Deal, Madison Waters, and Dakota Cash-Deal; two great-grandchildren, Braxton and Brayden Waters; and one sister, Patricia Stokes of Arrington, TN.

Darlene was preceded in death by her husband, James David Deal; her mother, Helen Frame Jestice; her father, Luther Overton ("Bud") Jestice; and her brother, Billy Floyd Jestice.

A celebration of her life will be held at Sunrise Baptist Church, 3000 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045, on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Family visitation will begin at 1:00 PM, the service will be followed by a small reception at the church.

The service will be live-streamed and recorded on the Sunrise Baptist Church Facebook Page and on the church's YouTube channel.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sunrise Mission Fund at Sunrise Baptist Church Giving.