Deanie Boatner was born in Mississippi to John Root Boatner and his wife Martha Elizabeth Taggart, both born in South Carolina and was the wife of Dr. James Wesley Boatner born in Mississippi. Deanie's family moved to Arkansas prior to 1860. They moved to Texas after the Civil War and lived in Collins County for a time, then lived in Grimes County, then later moved to Robertson County, Texas. It is documented that she and her husband shared the last name Boatner prior to marriage. Their common ancestor has not been identified, they were likely distant cousins. It is believed that they were married in the early 1870s. She was the mother of at least five children. It is likely that she died due to serious complications from giving birth to Mary Boatner on November 30, 1889. According to the Dallas Morning News she was very active in Church and Charity work and was very well respected and admired in the community for her Christian values. The paper also states that she was survived by four little children who mourn her. One of these four children died within a year after Deanie's death. The child was Geraldine Boatner who died in August 1880 soon after her mother. Two infant children are buried near her, and three children survived into the next century. At the time of her death, one daughter, Cecil was ten years of age, a son, Peter B. was seven and another daughter, Hortense, was 4 years of age. Cecil died in 1959 in Lubbock, Texas, Hortense died in Los Angeles California in 1964, and Peter B died in Colorado Springs, Co in 1961. Dr. Boatner died in 1904. Her tombstone, smaller than her husband's is worn and faded. Many of the inscriptions are difficult to read. The name given on the tombstone is "Mrs Deanie" which may have been her pet name or name of endearment used by her husband and family. She had not yet reached her 27th birthday at the time of death. It is unknown who reared the children after her untimely death. They lived in Lewisville, Texas but all were burned in the Smithfield Cemetery in Northeast Tarrant County, Texas.