Harriet "Baba" Belser Deas was many things: daughter, mother, wife, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, crafter, author, teacher, entertainer, mentor, and much more. She did nothing halfway and was a force with which to be reckoned. And yes, this is grammatically correct because she drilled into us that you never end a sentence with a preposition.
Born 95 years ago in the deep south of Columbia, South Carolina, to Irvine Furman Belser and Mary Campbell Heyward Belser, she passed away on December 28th, 2018. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Deas; and brothers Irvine and Heyward; and sisters May, Kittum, Anne, Peggy and Mildred. She is survived by her three (3) children whom she loved dearly: Dickie Deas of Miami, Florida; Happy Deas of Boca Raton, Florida; and Tatta and her husband Gary Gardner of Bonita Springs, Florida; 2 grandchildren: Nicholas and Nathaniel Deas; 2 great grandchildren: Reagan and Ryan Deas; and many nieces and nephews and other relatives and many, many friends.
Baba had numerous careers throughout her life with the more notable ones being an English teacher at an all male Naval Academy in Sanford, Florida and an Insurance/Payroll administrator at the Seminole County School Board. She also loved her time with the Florida Greeting Service which was a derivative of the Welcome Wagon which fully utilized her personable skills.
Baba loved life and was the epitome of a true Southern belle - she loved hosting family and friends for any and all occasions and was the "maestro" of hosting. She was the ultimate crafter and crocheter and project-based lady. Rarely was she ever without numerous projects going at the same time.
At age 85, she wrote a book, entitled, "Six from the Top, Three from the Bottom" which was edited by her dear friend, David Wells. This turned out to be a significant highlight in her life. This enabled all of us to gain invaluable insights into her life and upbringing.
She was devoted to her friends and would do anything for them and they would reciprocate. She was an extraordinary mom, sister, and friend to so many people and to know her was to truly love her. Our lives will never be the same without her; however, we have been so incredibly enriched with unconditional love and laughter that we will remain blessed forever. We will truly miss you Mom!
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BabioneBocaRaton.com for the Deas family.
