Obituary of Roger W. Deal

COLUMBIA - DR. ROGER W. DEAL Dr. Roger W. Deal peacefully died on March 26, 2015. Born November 28, 1943, he was the son of the late Minnie Magee Deal and William Cecil Deal of Lake Providence, Louisiana. Roger grew up in Lake Providence and Monroe, Louisiana, attending public schools, participating in all athletics, and from an early age, always intending to become a physician. He graduated in 1970 from Louisiana State University Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana, and then served an internship at Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco, California, from July 1970 through June 1971. Roger was assigned as a Flight Surgeon in the US Army in Europe from 1971 through 1974, when he was accepted into the Psychiatry Residency Program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D. C. He graduated from this program in 1977. He was next assigned to the US Army Hospital at Ft. Benning, Georgia, where he served as Chief of Psychiatry until late 1979. He continued to work as a civilian physician at Ft. Benning until October 1980, when he accepted a position in Augusta, Georgia, with a joint appointment at the VA Hospital and the Medical College of Georgia. In 1983, he moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where he began practicing psychiatry and continued in private practice until he died. During his career, he practiced with Midlands Psychiatry Associates, which was very rewarding as this group has grown and has added new ways of treating depression. He has also been fortunate to have had the opportunity to practice with Dr. Lawrence Bergman at Post Trauma Resources since 1995, where his long experience in the Army and the VA dealing with stress disorders helped him in treating civilians with similar problems. Roger is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, son Roger Bancroft Deal (LaVone) of Atlanta, Georgia, daughter Kristen Britt Connor (Christopher) of Midlothian, Va, son James Laurent Britt Jr. (Nina) of Charleston, South Carolina, grandchildren Ian & Griffin Connor and James Hunter Britt, and sisters Barbara Deal Watson of Monroe, Louisiana, Merrie Deal Rachal (Eugene) of Monroe, Louisiana, Sandra Deal Miller (Kenneth) of Shreveport, Louisiana, Mona Deal Smith (Eugene) of Monroe, Louisiana, brothers David L. Deal (Judith) of Ruston, Louisiana, Ronald T. Deal (Lois) of Ruston, Louisiana, and Lynn M Deal (Rebecca) of Houston, Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either of Roger's favorite causes, Pets Incorporated, 300 Orchard Drive, West Columbia, South Carolina 29170, or Family Shelter, 2411 Two Notch Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29204. A Celebration of Life for Dr. Roger W. Deal will be held at 2:00 PM Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 1413 Palmer Road, Columbia, SC 29205