Harold T. “Diz” Deane, a World War II veteran, died a week ago today, at the age of 97. And that prompted some unscheduled gatherings of his comrades for the viewing on Sunday and a memorial Monday.
He certainly packed an awful lot of living in those 97 years. In fact, there isn’t enough room in this column to tell you everything. But some of the highlights are worth mentioning.
At the age of 20, he became a Golden Glove boxing champion, winning the welterweight crown for Springfield and Clark County. And that may have been an indication of a fighting spirit that would serve him well in the coming years.
Deane enlisted in the U.S Army at the age of 27 in June 1942. He served with distinction as part of the 3rd Infantry Division, 10th Combat Engineers and took part in six invasions in Europe and North Africa, plus the Battle of the Bulge, and was wounded twice.
Randy Ark, who became close friends with Deane, spoke during the memorial celebration. Ark said Deane “served the people.” In addition to his military service, Deane drove a bus for the Springfield City Lines Inc. That’s where he met Betty Jones, who would become his wife in 1940.
Deane also delivered mail and was president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Local 45 when it was started in 1962. Ark, who regularly accompanied and drove Deane to various events, jokingly said, “no matter where we went, Harold used to deliver mail there.”
Through the years, Deane also served as a special deputy with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, a reserve police officer and a member of the South Vienna/Harmony Twp. Fire Department. I had the honor of getting to know him through my frequent interaction with the Purple Heart chapter members.
One of the special occasions came on Nov. 4, 2010, when I covered a presentation at the Statehouse where Deane received France’s Legion of Honor Chevalier (Knight) Medal, the highest award that country gives to non-French citizens. In his typical modest manner, he told me that day he was thinking “about his poor buddies who didn’t make it back.”
Deane was a life member of the local Purple Heart chapter. It came as no surprise that his casket contained a cross, an American flag, a Purple Heart cap and a Purple Heart hat. He was wearing the Purple Heart jacket he had worn so many times during his life.
During the memorial, Deane was remembered as a prolific storyteller. St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Rev. David Yingling said, “Harold was a man of stories. He captured the history of this country in his life.” And turning to the casket, he added, “God has used you to teach each of us to listen.”
Even on the day he was buried, Deane helped me learn new things. I had never been to the small, rural cemetery, and I don’t think I had ever driven along some of the roads to get there. For the first time, I traveled through the neighborhood that includes St. Mark’s, met Deane’s family and his fellow church members and enjoyed their company.
And I bet Harold was looking down and smiling.
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