Deanna Wilksinson

Singer for People's Temple Choir and Jonestown Express. She was born October 19th, 1950 in Cook County, Illinois. A bi-racial child. She was adopted by Jack and Rheaviana Beam. She was known among the members of People's Temple for talent as a singer and was among those in the choir who was selected to record on the album "He's Able" recorded by the People's Temple choir and released in 1973. When she moved to Guyana to the People Temple Agricultural project known as "Jonestown", she recorded songs with the group there known as "The Jonestown Express". Her last performance was in front of the Jonestown community on the night of November 17th, 1978. She was filmed by NBC News Crew as she sang "That's the Way of The World" by Earth Wind and Fire. She died the next evening, November 18th, 1978, a victim of the Jonestown tragedy.