Clicking delete account on your idevice doesn't delete your account entirely, it just deletes the account off of your phone. The account is still active and can be logged in to through iCloud.com or readded to another device.
iCloud email is unique in that the only way to create it was to turn it on in iOS. I just want to be sure that, if I turn it "off" on my iPhone, it does not also act to disable the account.
I assume not, and, I assume that if it does, it would not be permanent, but I want to be sure before I do it.
MotionMan
I just created an email account and promptly removed it from my iPad. It is still accessible through icloud.com
Account deletion is the same for any service account. Sorry I didn't make it brain-dead self explanatory, just drawing your attention to the giant red button under every account - I assumed you would have the intelligence to extrapolate.