Obituary of Nicholas W. Deans

Nicholas Wyeth Deans, formerly of Mill Neck, passed away unexpectedly on March 16, 2018 in Fuji, Japan.

Nick was born in New York on October 9, 1957. He attended East Woods School, was a member of St. Paul’s School class of 1976, and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1980 with a BA in history.  

At the time of his death, he was working for General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) in Sagami Depot, Japan. Nick developed complex training scenario databases and coached soldiers on usage of US Army computer simulation models.  His expertise resulted in realistic operational training environments that tested military units in challenging operational environments.  

He enlisted in the Army in 1981 and served 23 years in Military Intelligence, retiring in 2004, with the rank of Sergeant First Class, as a Senior Voice Intercept Supervisor.

During his career, he was stationed in Germany for 14 years, North Carolina for 5 years, and Alaska for 4 years. Twice he attended the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) in Monterey (CA) where he became proficient in Polish and Russian.  He served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and was awarded several medals during his 23 years, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 2 National Defense Service Medals, NATO Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 3 Bronze Stars, Valorous Unit Award, 4 Army Commendation Medals, and 2 Army Achievement Medals

Nick is survived by his wife of 26 years, Barbara Lawton-Deans, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; his stepson, Jeremy Frazier, daughter-in-law, Yuyu Gao, and granddaughter, Vanessa, all of Qingdao, China; sister Mary Flood and her partner, Nick Glagola of Oakley, UT; brother and sister-in-law Rob and Janet Deans of Oyster Bay, NY; brother and sister-in-law William and Wendy Deans of Livingston, MT; sister Elisabeth Deans of Oyster Bay, NY; and nieces and nephew, Caroline and Robert Deans, and Katharine Mooney.

A wake will be held on Tuesday, March 27 from 5-8pm at Oyster Bay Funeral Home. 

A service will be held on Wednesday, March 28 at 10am at Christ Church in Oyster Bay.