Amy Deal

Amy Deal was a beautiful, bright and vibrant young woman, who faced many challenges in her life. She was a young woman with a big smile and bigger dreams, yet the hurdles she faced were too much to overcome. Most of all, Amy was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt and friend, who brought so much light to the life of all who knew her.

Amy’s story began on a hot summer day in 1978, in the bustling city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Those were turbulent times in this country, which saw the troops returning home from Vietnam, an energy crisis, and the birth of the first test tube baby, on July 25, 1978. That same day, on the other side of the Atlantic, Barry and Vicki (Elkins) Deal celebrated the birth of a baby of their own at Kalamazoo’s Bronson Hospital, a beautiful baby girl they named Amy Lynn.

Amy was born in the wee hours of the morning on July 25, with a blessedly short delivery. She joined her brother Brian, 3 ½ years her senior, in the family’s Vicksburg home. Being the only girl and the first granddaughter on the Deal side of the family, Amy’s family doted on her and loved spoiling her when she was growing up.

Amy was a very quiet baby, but as a toddler she showed quite a temper, and was very feisty, too. She always had plenty of personality, though, and when she was little she delighted in telling jokes at the dinner table, and loved clowning around.

At the age of six, she began learning tap dance, as well as ballet and gymnastics. At seven, she focused more on gymnastics, and was a very natural athlete growing up. And while she enjoyed gymnastics and dance, she wasn’t afraid to get dirty, either, and loved playing football and wrestling with her brother and her male cousins!

Amy furthered her athletic pursuits at Vicksburg Middle School, where she played volleyball and basketball, and just like her dad and brother, she was a catcher on her school’s softball team. She loved playing sports, and it was a year-round affair for her, with plenty of camps and clinics in the summertime. Her summers were also filled with plenty of fun times at her grandparents’ home on Indian Lake, where she enjoyed swimming and water skiing on hot, sunny days.

Amy was a very popular girl in school, with a friendly, outgoing personality, and a kind and caring demeanor. When she began attending Vicksburg High, Amy joined the cheerleading team, which she enjoyed very much, and thanks to all those years of gymnastics, she made a great cheerleader.

Amy was more than just athletically gifted, though. She was also a very bright young woman, who excelled academically. She was a National Honor Society member, and also involved in many other extracurricular activities. Amy was an intelligent, talented young woman, who had dreams of one day becoming a physical therapist, and working in sports medicine.

In September of 1994, Amy was involved in a single-car accident, and suffered a major head injury. This forever changed her life, and she was dependent on others to care for her. After two difficult years of hospitals and rehab, she was brought home to her familiar surroundings.

Back home once again, Amy received such tender and loving care by her family, as well as her two long-time care givers, Robin Pool and especially Chris Henderson, who went above and beyond what was expected. Being home brought great joy and comfort to Amy.

Amy was visited often by her best friend since the sixth grade, Ana Ressigue, who always brightened Amy’s days. They were inseparable as kids, always the best of friends, and Amy even served as a bridesmaid in Ana’s wedding. Sadly, Ana died in 2001, which was a difficult loss for Amy and their families.

Family and friends were everything to Amy, who also loved being visited by her nephews Grant and Luke, and by her niece Anna. Whether they were lying next to her and stroking her hair, or just stopping by to visit, she always loved seeing them. Amy taught her niece and nephews the valuable lesson of accepting others that are different, simply by being near her.

Early in March of 2008, Amy developed pneumonia, and complications soon arose. Sadly, she died on Wednesday morning, March 5, 2008, at Bronson Hospital, at the age of 29. She will be buried at Vicksburg Cemetery, close by her dear friend Ana, the two friends reunited again. Her family keeps her memory alive at Vicksburg High with the Amy Deal Scholarship Fund, which awards students who exemplify Amy’s ideals and spirit.

Amy was such a beautiful, vibrant young woman, who brought so much light to the lives of everyone around her. She was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt and friend, and a great gift to all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

Learn more about Amy, view her Life Story film, and visit with her family and friends on Saturday morning from 10-11 am at the Life Story Funeral Home, Vicksburg, 409, South Main. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the same location.

Members of her family include her Mother Vicki , her brother Brian and his wife Heather, grandmother Bonnie Elkins, one niece Anna, two nephews: Grant and Luke, aunts and uncles: Steve and Linda Juday, Wade and Sarah Deal, Stuart and Lynn Leach, Steve Elkins and special friend Anthony Liguori and several cousins and friends. She follows in death her father Barry Deal and her grandfather Cliff Elkins and grandparents Dayton and Betty Deal.

Please visit Amy’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a favorite memory or photo, sign her memory book online or make a memorial donation to the Amy Deal Scholarship Fund.