Deanna Joyce Tidwell Broughton, age 85, of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, went Home to be with the Lord and was reunited with her late husband, Joe Broughton, on January 18, 2026, at Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC.
Deanna was born on January 20, 1940, in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, to the late Harold Tidwell and Artie Bell Barker. She lived a life rooted in faith, education, creativity, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.
A lifelong educator, Deanna served as both a teacher and school principal, dedicating her career to guiding and inspiring generations of students. Beyond education, she was a published author who wrote the book titled “Willow & The Woods” which widely gained recognition. She was also a talented Cherokee artist and sculptor and was a woman who found peace and joy in nature. She loved gardening herbs, birdwatching, and spending quiet moments outdoors surrounded by the beauty of creation.
She is survived by her loving sons, Anthony Duane Broughton and his wife Margaret of Barnardsville, North Carolina, and Joe “Dusty” Dustin Broughton of Burnsville, North Carolina; her sister, Dorothy Sullivan; her cherished grandchildren, Razvan Matei, Brianna Broughton, Liam Broughton, Amanda Turbes and her husband Perry, Ashley Osterman and her husband Jeff, Tera Whittle and her husband James, and Samantha Causby and her husband Justin; and her nine treasured great-grandchildren, Marshall, Dylan, Daphnie, Ryder, Isla, Ceci, Genevieve, Emmett, Harrison, and one additional great-grandchild who is expected to arrive within the year.
Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, January 30th, 2026, at Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home with Pastor Scott Garland officiating. The family will receive friends and loved ones from 2:00 to 3:00, prior to the service.
In Deanna’s honor, flowers are welcome and may be sent to the funeral home for the service. Deanna will be remembered for her wisdom, gentle spirit, creative soul, and unwavering faith. Her legacy lives on through the family she loved, the students she guided, and the many lives she touched.
Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home is respectfully serving the Broughton family
