| A teacher and coach in the physical education department at the Louisiana
School for the Deaf, he died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2001, in Rome, Ga. A native
of Iota, he was 48 and a longtime resident of Baton Rouge. Visitation at
Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday,
with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Visiting at the funeral home from 8:30
a.m. until religious services at 11 a.m. Thursday, conducted by the Rev.
Rich Luberti of the Catholic Deaf Center.
A 1972 graduate of LSD, he went on to Gallaudet University in Washington, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education in 1978. He was awarded a master of education degree in 1979 from Western Maryland College. He began employment at LSD in the fall of 1979 in the physical education department. He left LSD in the fall of 1982 and served three years at the Mississippi School for the Deaf. He returned to LSD in the fall of 1985, and was in his 19th year of service at the school. During his tenure, he coached several sports at the school. In football, he served as an assistant coach for many years and as head coach for nine years. In addition, he held the positions of assistant or head coach of boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' track and field, and cross-country throughout his tenure. He was very active in the deaf community locally and nationally. He served as the president of the Louisiana School for the Deaf Alumni Association, coordinator of sports for the Mini Deaf Olympics in Kentucky for 10 years, statistician for the Southwest Athletic Association for the Deaf, and member, coach and athletic director of the Baton Rouge Association for the Deaf. He was the women's softball coach for the Jackson, Miss., Association for the Deaf, where he coached their team to the city championship. He was a member of Kappa Gamma fraternity and Louisiana High School Coaches Association. He was inducted into the Southwest Athletic Association for the Deaf Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Karen Solet Deville, Baton Rouge; two daughters, Kristie Solet Deville and Vera Ann Deville, Baton Rouge; a son, Gabriel Elliott Deville, Baton Rouge; his mother, Laura Belle Domingue Deville, Baton Rouge; a sister, Karen Ann Deville, Baton Rouge; and two brothers, Charles Dean Deville and wife Sabrina, Clinton, and John Edward Deville, Prairieville. He was preceded in death by his father, Elliott Deville. Coach Deville greatly loved his family, sports and the Louisiana School for the Deaf. He always brought a ray of sunshine into everyone's life with his smile and friendly nature. He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten. The family has requested that memorial donations be made to: |
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