Robert Lee “Bob” Deaton, 87, of Duncan, died Nov. 16, 2020.
A native of Pageland, he was a graduate of Furman University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and also studied at the Princeton Institute of Theology of Princeton Theological Seminary. Ordained by First Baptist Church, Pageland in 1956, he was pastor of five South Carolina Baptist churches: Woodruff First; Denmark First; Fellowship, West Columbia; Lamar; and Gum Branch, Hartsville. He later served for 17 years as director of the Annuity and Insurance Services Department for the South Carolina Baptist Convention and as a representative of the Annuity Board (now GuideStone Financial Services) until his retirement in 2005. During his retirement, he also served several years as a representative of the South Carolina Baptist Foundation. He was a member of Poplar Springs Baptist Church, Moore, at the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Phyllis Watts Deaton; a son, Todd Deaton (managing editor of The Baptist Courier) and his wife, Michelle; a daughter, Lea Ann Skinner and her husband, David; and three grandchildren.