Donald William "Donnie" Deal

Donald William "Donnie" Deal, 87 of Canaan. It is with great sadness we announce Don’s passing on Friday, August 30, in the Valley Regional Hospital, with his loving wife Halina by his side.

Son of the late Norman Alexander and Joyce Millicent (Huntley) Deal, Donnie grew up on the family farm in Canaan, where he lived with his wife Halina until his passing. From an early age, he learned the value of hard work and treating people right and practiced these values his entire life. He recognized that he had a strong mechanical aptitude when working on family and neighbor’s farm equipment and vehicles, which led him to pursue a career as an automotive mechanic.

Don started his career with Milne’s Garage in 1955 and moved on to Mailmac Motors, then Langmaid Motors before opening Deal’s Auto Clinic in 1968. He operated his very successful business for 47 years in four different locations before retiring in 2015 at 17 Jones Road, New Minas, where the business still remains today.

Don had many highlights in his career; foremost, being one of the first mechanics to earn Interprovincial Red Seal Certification when the program began in 1960. Don earned the reputation of being the best mechanic not only on domestic vehicles, but even more so on imports, such as Volvo, MGB, Triumph, Austin and Jaguar. Don had a 1967 Volvo 122 bequeathed to him from his longtime customer, the late Bruce Lloyd. He was the only mechanic Mr. Lloyd trusted to work on this car from the day it was purchased new.

In 1985, one of Don’s loyal customers, author Sandra Field, printed a note of thanks to Don in the book she was working on, for his assistance in her research to help her portray a mechanic more realistically.

Don enjoyed hunting, fishing, photography, anything involving airplanes and working around the Deal homestead, which he took a lot of pride in. He had a deep appreciation for everything nature had to offer. He was always happy to help out family, friends and neighbors.

Don was considered to be the patriarch of the entire Deal family and family members from far and wide came to visit him at the homestead. He was a man with strong values and a strong will. He was painfully honest and treated everyone with respect. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sisters, Carolyn and Joan Helm; brothers, Norman S., John and Wayne; daughter, Jackie; daughter-in-law, Nancy (McNeil) Deal; Halina’s parents, Jan and Klara Szustakowski; and mother of his children, Betty Meister. 

Survived by his wife Halina (Szustakowska); sons, Carson, Alberta, Erik, New Minas and Jason (Pat Weir), Canaan; brother-in-law and good friend, John Helm (Randy), Amherst; and sisters-in-law, Ewa Bednorz (Leszek), Poland and Anna Mularski (Marek), Massachusetts; special niece, Terry Delisle and special nephew, Chris Deal; as well as several other nieces and nephews.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 13 in the White Family Funeral Home, Kentville, where the funeral service (with livestream) will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14, with a reception to follow. A private family interment will be held in the Oak Grove Cemetery, Kentville. Donations in memory, can be made to Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or charity of one’s choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville.