Fern (Gaddis) Deighton, daughter of the late Claud Carthel Pinson and Jewel Maxine (Brannon) Pinson, was born on July 25, 1943, in San Jose, Calif. She passed from this life on May 3, 2023, at her home in Mountain Grove, at 79 years, 9 months and 8 days of age. Fern moved with her family from California to Missouri in 1959, when she was 15 years old. She graduated from Mountain Grove High School in 1961. After graduation, she was married to Jim Bill Gaddis. They had two boys, Randy and Rick. Fern loved her career, working in the banking profession, until she retired. She enjoyed the outdoors, especially when she was fishing and camping at the lakes. One of her favorite past times was playing bingo with her 101 year-old mother. She married Grant Deighton on Sep. 11, 2011, in Las Vegas. They were high school sweethearts until her family moved to Missouri. Fern and Grant loved traveling and spent plenty of time in Florida on the beach. Fern inherited, from her father, a witty humor that everyone enjoyed. Like her father, she gave most everyone a “nickname” that was usually very accurate. She had a classy ability to put on a gunny sack and make it look like a ball room dress.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother; Carl Pinson, and by one sister, Joyce Ozentowski. She is survived by her husband, Grant Deighton, of their home in Mountain Grove; two sons, Randy Gaddis and his wife, Shonnie, and Rick Gaddis and his wife, Debe, all of Mountain Grove; one sister, Judy Garner, of Mountain Grove; three grandchildren, Leah Sapp and her husband, Cody, Lindsey Nilsen and her husband, Daniel, and Blake Eakin and his wife, Vanessa; four great-grandchildren, Wyatt and Jesse Sapp, Jack Nilsen, and Emma Eakin; a niece, Tina Garner; along with many other relatives and friends who will miss her very much. Visitation for Fern Gaddis was held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mountain Grove. Memorial services followed the visitation at 2 p.m., also the funeral home, with Pastor Melvin Moon and Brother Curtis Dowden officiating. Song selections were “Loving My Jesus,” “Good, Good Father” and “My Way” with Bud Aldridge and Ray Bradley serving as musicians. A private family burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery. Services and cremation were under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mountain Grove. Online condolences: www.craighurttfuneralhome.com.
