IDAHO SAR
Homer S. Deal Education Fund
The IDSSSAR established an education fund in 1993 that focuses on providing learning experiences for both school age and adult Idahoans. The objective of establishing the fund was to have specifically allocated money that was separate from dues and from the operating and administrative budget. The money was designated as a part of the educational charity funding in the 501(c)3 IRS determination. Because it is separate from dues, it is a 100% federal tax deductible contribution. Over the years, this money has been used to fund education activities such as the Patriot Chest Program, Constitution Education, and programs for both SAR members and the general public.
Initial funding was from IDSSSAR members. Homer S. Deal, who was an active SAR member and a highly successful Treasure Valley businessman, made a large initial contribution that served as seed money for what became a long-term investment for the IDSSSAR education fund. In recognition, the membership named the educational fund in his honor.
Homer Deal became a SAR member on 13 August 1962, with national membership number SAR#-88553 and state number 443 assigned to him. He was 56 years old. He maintained his active membership for 40 years until his death in 2002, at the age of 96 years. He was a great-great grandson of Patriot Conrad Diehl, SAR Patriot # P-148089. Over the years the family surname was changed to Deal.
Homer was born 10 August 1905 in Weiser, Idaho, to Willard Wallace (1872-1942) and Flora Lucy Hart Deal (1873-1933), who had moved from Michigan to Idaho in 1902. His father was a Methodist minister and his mother was a registered nurse. He grew up in Weiser and married Nellie Margaret Matthews on 3 June 1934. They had two sons, William Wallace and Homer Steeves Jr., and a daughter, Margaret Louise. In 1932, Homer opened the Deal Insurance Company in Nampa. In 1934 he sold the company to his brother and Homer became the regional manager for Farmers Insurance Exchange. He remained active in the insurance industry until his retirement. His wife, Nellie, died in 1996 and Homer died in 2002. Both of them are buried in Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise.
Homer believed in strong family relationships. He was close to his older brother, Edson Hart Deal, who had served as an Idaho state senator, Lt. Governor of Idaho (1951-1955) and was the Idaho Secretary of State when he died in 1967. Both of Homer’s sons, Homer S. Deal Jr (SAR# 109190) and William W. Deal (SAR# 109191) joined IDSSSAR in 1979. Homer was very committed to the SAR. Compatriots who knew him state that Homer was very civic minded and was a faithful SAR member, held almost all of the offices over the years, and rarely missed a meeting.
Today, IDSSSAR members continue to support the Homer Deal Education Fund by annual contributions at the time of their annual dues payments and throughout the year. Donations can be made by direct contributions through the Treasurer, and also by the donation link on the left.
We wish to thank Compatriots Rev. Eugene C. Hill and Ronald C. Jennings for their contributions of memories about Homer Deal and this Fund.
Patriot Conrad Diehl was born in the German Duchy of Hesse on 17 August 1763. He immigrated to the Pennsylvania Colony about 1776. He enlisted as a 14 year old boy on 18 June 1777. He was eventually promoted and served as a sergeant in the 8th Company, 6th Battalion, of the Northampton, Pennsylvania Militia, under his relative Captain Adam Diehl. [Reference: Penns Archives, Fifth Series, Vol.8, pg. 464] He married Maria Korrin in 1783, when he was 19 years old and they had three sons. The eldest, John, was the ancestor of Homer. Conrad died on 22 January 1808 in Pennsylvania.