Deana Henrietta Garner was born to Henrietta Mabel (Didier) and Jesse D. Helzer on June 25, 1948, in Thomas, Oklahoma. She passed away on October 15, 2026 surrounded by loved ones in Weatherford, Oklahoma, at the age of 78.

Deana was raised north of Thomas in the small, historic community of Parallel, Oklahoma. She attended Thomas schools and graduated with the class of 1966. She met Donald Ray Garner when she was only in kindergarten, and they remained close friends until they started dating in high school. They were married on December 18, 1966 in the First Christian Church of Thomas. They made their home in Thomas while Deana attended cosmetology school in Clinton.

In 1967, Don joined the Navy, and after basic training, Deana joined him in San Diego where he was stationed. While Don was attending Hospital Corpman School at Balboa Naval Hospital in California, they welcomed their son, James. They moved home to Thomas briefly where their family would be completed with the addition of their second child, Deena. The family then moved to Olathe, Kansas, and later they relocated to Kodiak, Alaska. Deana worked as a cosmetologist throughout these years of travel following the Navy.

After discharge from the military, the family came home to Oklahoma and lived in Weatherford, while Deana worked at the Bee's Hive salon and Don finished Southwestern Oklahoma State University pharmacy school. After pharmacy school graduation, they lived in Las Vegas and Clayton, NM before moving to Mooreland, Oklahoma, next stop where Don worked at the hospital, and Deana enjoyed doing hair in her in-home beauty shop that Don built for her.

In 1982, after years of travels and moving, the family came home to Thomas and put down roots within the community; their children attended and graduated from Thomas schools. In 2002, Don and Deana made their final move to live on the family farm.

Deana had many creative hobbies. She enjoyed painting in a variety of media where she would create portraits, canvases, and paint beautiful murals. She had a special bond with her granddaughters; she taught them to sew, paint, and use watercolors and weekends were for sleepovers with a tent in the sewing room for the girls to camp out. Deana also created floral designs for weddings, made jewelry, and enjoyed carving and quilting. She also had a special place in her heart for hummingbirds - she dedicated her entire porch to her hummingbirds every season.

Deana was preceded in death by her father, Jesse D. Helzer. She is survived by her husband, Don Garner, of nearly 60 years; mother, Henrietta Helzer; son, James Ray Garner and his wife, Kristi; granddaughter, Lauren Garner Brown, her husband, Michael, and their children, Ayzlee and Taven; daughter, Deena Rene Craighead and her husband, Cliff; granddaughter, Gaige Dion Reese and her husband, Baron; granddaughter, Macenzie Jorden Sharry and her husband, Wyatt; brother, Steve Helzer and his family; sister, Kathy Sweeney and her husband, Tom - along with multiple nieces and nephews and loved family members.

Memorial donations may be made in Deana's name to the International Hummingbird Society at https://internationalhummingbirdsociety.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate