Edyth Geraldine DeVore

Edyth Geraldine DeVore was born Nov. 4, 1924, to Veda Rilea Hall and Vernon Brammer in Grand River. She went home to be with the Lord, April 27, 2009, at Southern Hills Specialty Care Center in Osceola, at the age of 84 years.

Geraldine spent her early childhood in and around the Grand River and Murray area. Her mother was a single parent and she spent much of her early years with her Grandmother, Grandfather and Uncle George Rilea. Her mother married Charles Hall and the family moved to Spokane, Wash. They returned to the Osceola area where she was united in marriage to Leo DeVore on Dec. 28, 1943, in Bethany, Mo., and two children blessed this union, Junior and Sandy.

Geraldine worked for several families in the area cleaning house and baby sitting. She worked at Robinson’s Department Store and later at Snowdon and LeAnn sewing factories until her retirement.

During her retirement years, Geraldine enjoyed being on the go. She loved going to her sister’s lake home and traveling to California to see her brother. She was actively involved in T.O.P.S. Women’s Club and the Clarke County Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed sewing and made many things including doll clothes and crafts. She had a love for nature and being outdoors. She enjoyed her garden, working in her yard, bird watching and looking at clouds and trees. She took great joy in the smallest pleasures and enjoyed life. She was the eternal optimist, her glass was always half full and she shared it with everyone. She was the first to send a card or visit a friend, she always thought of others first.

Family was her greatest pleasure, Geraldine always said “we don’t have a lot, but we have a lot of love”. She was the center of the family. She took joy in raising Junior and Sandy and loved the time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She could fix everything and had a gift of always making things better.

Remaining to celebrate her life are her children, Junior and Cheryl DeVore of Nevada, Sandy and Craig Mateer of Osceola; grandchildren, Brian DeVore, Dawn (Andrew) Short all of Colo; Michael (Amber) Miller; LaVon DeVore and Lee Allen DeVore all of Nevada; Chandra (Andy) Eckels of Murray; Theron (JoLee) Mateer of Melcher; Aaron Mateer of Osceola; Justin (Emily) Mateer of Granger; sister, Darla (Ron) Hegre of Des Moines; brother, Charles Rilea (Helga) of Redding, Calif.; great-grandchildren, Devon DeVore; Spencer, Mailey Dawn and Gannon Short; Savannah Renee and Brayden Miller; Addison Jo and Rileanna Kate Eckels; Karsyn Joy Mateer; other relatives and friends.

Geraldine was preceded in death by her husband Leo DeVore; her parents; one grandson, Trevor Douglas Mateer; one great-grandson, Landon Donovan Mateer; and her sister, Doris Hall.

She was a blessing to family, friends and all who knew her. She worked hard all her life, enjoying all God’s blessings. She was always the hero of her family, a beautiful person and truly the ‘wind beneath our wings”. She will be missed.

Funeral Services were held May 1, 2009, at Kale Funeral Home in Osceola.

Interment followed in the Maple Hill Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be directed to her family.