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Obituary for Deighton III Alleyne
Deighton Alleyne III, known affectionately to his friends as “DA”, to his family as “Butch”, and to his students as “Mr. A.”, was born on August 24, 1957 to the late Deighton Alleyne, Jr. and Dolores Bratcher Alleyne, in Philadelphia, PA. After suffering a massive stroke on August 27, 2014, he departed this life on September 9, 2014. Deighton attended St. Peter’s Episcopal School and Northeast High School in Philadelphia. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Springfield College in Springfield, MA. He was employed during his high school years by the McDonald’s Corporation. Deighton was also employed by Aramark and served as the dining service manager at Catholic University and Alabama State University. He later changed career paths and devoted himself to teaching. Deighton also had a love for music and pursued his interest from high school until his demise. He had an extensive record and CD collection, and along with a group of friends, he attended the Montreal Jazz Festival for the last 8 years. Over the years, Deighton also developed a passion for cooking. He was proud of the dishes he created and loved making people happy as he shared his talent. His most famed dessert dishes were his wonderful cinnamon bus and giant ginger cookies. Family functions were always blessed with something delicious from his hands! Deighton was raised in the St. Thomas Episcopal Church. As a youth he sang with the Boy’s Choir under the direction of the late James Townsend. He later became a member of the Men’s & Boy’s Choir at St. Peter’s School. Deighton was loved and admired by his family members. He was close to so many of his aunts, uncles, and cousins, and had a wonderfully rich and fulfilling relationship with his parents and his sister. FAMILY was always paramount to Deighton and he often spoke of his pride of hailing from such a giving and close knit heritage. He was the consummate story teller, and would often be found at family functions, telling the younger cousins stories about the escapades of their parents, grandparents, and his favorite story of all…the “Big Mom kicking off her slipper in mid-run as she chased on of her grandchildren down the street”! He was always able to make those around him proud to be part of his family! The last 20 years of Deighton’s life were spent in Washington, DC, where he found a second family and a second home at the Washington Episcopal School. For the past 17 years, he devoted his life to serving as a mentor, teacher, and coach within the WES community. Deighton taught grade 4 from 1997-2005, and grade 6 from 2006 onward. He also served as the boy’s soccer, basketball, and lacrosse coach. He took great pride in traveling with his students for educational field trips such as the Desert Southwest for his 6th graders, and the Chesapeake Bay trip for the 8th graders. In September, 2011, Deighton was featured as a top teacher in the Bethesda community by Bethesda Magazine. He was so delighted by the number of former students and parents who reached out to him to congratulate him. Deighton kept in touch with his students long after they left WES, most recently serving as a groomsman in one of his former student’s wedding ceremony this summer. Deighton was an integral part of the WES community. In the words of the school principal Nancy Wright “Deighton was a longtime WES faculty member and coach who inspired students to take risks, ask questions, and work hard. His dedication to sharing his love for learning and encouraging self-confidence in young people was apparent in everything he did. He was a central figure within the WES community, and a dear friend to many”. Deighton leaves to mourn his passing his mother, Dolores; his sister, Denise; a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family; the friends he made at Springfield College, Neville Waters, Jacquelyne Thornton, Craig Chapman, and Joe Davis who were with him until the end. The love of Deighton’s life was his miniature pinscher, Tundae. He was a man of great passion. Passion for food, music, travel, sports, teaching, learning and family, and he will truly be missed by all of the lives he touched with his remarkable spirit and presence. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Deighton Alleyne Memorial Fund at Washington Episcopal School, 5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD 20816.
Memorial Service
Thursday, September 25, 2014 11:00 a.m. at the African Episcopal Church of Saint Thomas Overbrook & Lancaster Avenues Philadelphia, PA 19151
