There were few places in the small town of China Grove that you didn’t cross paths with Diane Deal.
She divided her time as a secretary at China Grove Elementary School, then drove around the corner to work the remainder of the day in the same role at First Methodist Church. In later years, she worked as a cashier at Food Lion.
She was a fixture in the bleachers at her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events, and at South Rowan High School, where her late husband, Larry, was the longtime football coach. Her two children admitted she could get a bit “spicy” when the fans criticized him.
If you ever heard, “Oh, for crying out loud!” or “I am not going to sit here and listen to this! You are supposed to be a fan!” that was probably Diane.
But recent health problems made her tired, and she told son Andrew Deal and daughter Angie Deal Chrismon that their father, who died in 2016, had been without her long enough.
Diane Horton Deal, 76, died early Monday morning, July 13, 2026. Services were held Thursday afternoon at First Methodist Church.
Those who worked with Diane over the years said she was even-tempered and organized.
“She was a good friend and easy to work with,” said Dianne Heilig, longtime secretary of China Grove Elementary School. “She did a good job with everything she did. We had a good working relationship, and we had fun doing it.”
Dr. Alan King hired Diane as part-time secretary when he was principal at China Grove Elementary.
“She understood her role completely,” he said. “She was always very helpful. There are a million things going on in an elementary school office. She was self-motivated and always found things to do.”
That included being the “Laminating Queen,” and retrieving whatever teachers needed from the school supplies closet, said Becky Withers, a retired teacher. “She looked out for us.”
But family was at the top of Diane’s list, especially her five grandsons — ages 26 to 13 — and her great-granddaughter, who turns 1 in September.
In 2015, Diane was diagnosed with non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. She also needed dialysis. Doctors advised her it was time to give up, but Diane was having none of it.
“I’ve got a lot to do,” she told them.
“That sheer grit showed how she lived her life,” Andrew said.
Diane received a new liver and a new kidney in 2016 and never had any complications, her son said.
“She just powered right through it,” he said. “She had 10 more good years. She wanted to watch her grandchildren grow up.”
Before she got the hang of Venmo, he added, she slipped them some cash from time to time — probably more often than their parents realized.
“She knew how to play the system,” Andrew said.
Diane came from a family of athletes. Her husband was a football player, her children played sports, and her daughter retired in March as South’s athletic director. At South, Diane was an All-County and All-Conference basketball player, and played doubles tennis with her sister.
She was happiest, her daughter said, watching her grandsons play.
When her husband was busy coaching or in the Army Reserves, Diane held down the fort at home, Angie said — mowing the yard, ferrying her children to practice, doing everything that needed to be done to keep the household running smoothly.
“She didn’t know how not to work hard,” Angie said. “We have all always worked hard.”
Andrew is China Grove’s longtime police chief. During the holidays, Diane gave police officers Moravian cookies as gifts. She also took presents to Town Hall to wrap on the conference room table. If an officer happened to be free, she’d pull him in to wrap a present or two, her son said.
“Mom loved China Grove and being part of the community,” Angie said. “Once she committed to something and made up her mind, you weren’t changing it.”
And she enjoyed being active, her daughter said.
“She was not a sit-at-home kinda gal. She had a family focus until the end.”
Memorials may be made to First Methodist Church, 110 West Church St., China Grove, NC 28023, or to South Rowan Booster Club, 1655 Patterson St., China Grove, NC 28023.
Freelance writer Susan Shinn Turner lives in Raleigh.
