Wilton Rufus (Tink) Deacon, 85, of Lexington, Virginia, passed away Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at his home.
Born May 21, 1930 in Rockbridge County, he was a son of the late Waitman Stuart Deacon and Roxie Hickman Deacon.
After the death of his mother, W. R. was raised by his Aunt Maggie Harrington.
Mr. Deacon was a member of Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church, where he served as the Superintendent of Sunday School, and on the Board of Trustees.
Tink graduated from Effinger High School in 1949, and went to work at Lees Carpets in Glasgow, Va.
In 1955 he became an insurance agent for Home Beneficial Life Insurance.
In 1962 he began logging with his brother, Chester Deacon. He then started driving trucks for Smith Transfer in 1967. In 1977 he started his own logging business, W.R. Deacon & Sons Timber, Inc. with his three sons.
A small sawmill was erected in 1981 and then in 1988, a new sawmill was built. W.R. Deacon was elected as President of Deacon Timber, where he continued to work throughout his life.
W.R. served as President of the Ruritans Club and in later years as an honorary member; he was also the President of Palmer School for 29 years and a member of Rockbridge Odd Fellows Lodge #58 for over 50 years.
During the flood in August of 1969 Tink wrote and recorded with Mark Jones "The Night of the Flood" and "Three More Miles".
In 2009, he had Poems and other writings published.
Surviving are his wife, Florence Deacon; sons, Stuart Lee Deacon, Jerry Wayne Deacon, and Phillip Wilton Deacon, all of Lexington; six grandchildren, Brent, Hillary, Seth, Nathan, Jansen, Garth; and six great-grandchildren, Sophie, Ty, Vincent, Avery, Tanner, and Greyson.
A funeral service will be conducted 2 p.m., Saturday April 30, 2016 at Harrison Funeral Chapel with the Rev. James Bollinger and Rev. Calvin Griffin officiating. Burial will follow at Oxford Presbyterian Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in loving memory of Tink to the Effinger Fire Department, 2824 Collierstown Road, Lexington, VA 24450 or to the Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church.
The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 29, 2016 at Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory, Lexington, Virginia.
