Dennis Gale Deaton

Dennis Gale Deaton was born May 6, 1951 in Grants Pass, Oregon and passed away May 1, 2025 at his home on Bluebird Lane, near Canyonville. Dennis was the first of five children born to Jim and Gynn Deaton and he brought great joy into their lives. Dennis was raised in Surprise Valley, an area with four streets and many Baby Boomers, just like himself, two miles outside of Canyonville. He attended Tri-City Elementary, Canyonville Junior High and graduated from South Umpqua High School in 1969. He earned his associates degree in Computer Programming from Umpqua Community College. Dennis worked as a paperboy, delivering both the Oregon Journal and the Oregonian from the seat of his Vespa motor scooter, pumped gas at his family’s Mobil Service station and later their Shell service station, and worked at Hanna Nickel Mine. Dennis married Catherine Eva Hayter December 30, 1971. He and Cathy decided to open their own business, Canyon Radio, selling and repairing CB radios and accessories. He was known for his ability to fix anything electronical and for his honesty. Truckers from across the country, local log haulers, heavy equipment operators, and anyone else with a CB or Ham radio, came to him for his advice and repair skills. He could talk your leg off as those who knew him best can attest!

Dennis was a strong advocate of the right to keep and bear arms, an ABATE of Oregon hardworking member and a motorcycle enthusiast and devoted rider for over 60 years. He rode many different kinds of bikes over the years but of them all his favorite was his 1989 Soft Tail Springer Harley Davidson, yellow with green flames! He put a lot of miles on that bike including a trip to Sturgis where he only stayed two hours and decided he’d rather be riding; he met and made many dear friends “in the wind.”

Having no living children of his own he “borrowed” Tia, the daughter of friends Tim and Cindy Maley. They were generous and kind enough to share Tia’s precious growing up years with Dennis.

Dennis loved his family and would do anything for them. He was devoted to his parents and always available to them as their health declined; first with his father prior to his death in 2015 and then the six years his mother lived alone at the family home prior to her death in 2021. He stated it was an honor and a privilege to care for such wonderful parents.  Dennis was a loving and devoted husband to Cathy during her times of ill-health, always putting her above himself.

When his health began to deteriorate and the official diagnosis was made in December 2024, as Dennis suspected, he had ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He knew this was a death sentence but he did his best to make every day the best it could be. In February of this year his heart problems became evident. His faith in God and knowing this life is not the end but just the beginning, if you have accepted Jesus’ wonderful gift of salvation, gave him the strength to go on. Dennis grew in this faith these past few months like a house afire! God in his great mercy took him home before the terrible last stages of ALS. He is in the place Jesus said He was going to prepare for us in His Father’s house with all those loved ones who went before.

He was preceded in death by his infant daughter Sarah Grace Deaton. Dennis is survived by his wife Cathy; siblings Christine Morgan (Steve), Jim (Joy), Ray and Carl (Sherrie); paternal aunt Clorene Deaton; maternal uncle John Truman Gunn (Bev); many, many cousins, and nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind his borrowed daughter Tia, dear, dear friend Larry McKee and his brother from another mother, Mike Dixon.

A memorial service and lunch reception is planned for May 17, 2025, 11 a.m. at Encounter Church, 301 N. Main, Canyonville, Oregon. Dennis’s ashes will be interred at a later date next to those of his parents on the family property.

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