Richard A. (Dick) DeVore |
| Posted 2016-02-18 by Sharla |
| The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, Arizona Wednesday, February 17, 2016 Richard A. “Dick” DeVore passed away suddenly on Feb. 1 in Wickenburg at the age of 76. Dick was born in Wichita, Kan., on Jan. 1, 1940, to parents Alma Mae (Ashley) DeVore and Floyd Lee DeVore. He attended Wichita public schools, graduating from East High in 1957 and received his B.A. degree from Columbia University in New York City in 1961. He was married to Leslie DeVore, now of San Francisco, and to Virginia “Ginny” DeVore, who passed away in 2013. He and his wife Karol were married in 2014. He was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying many hunting and fishing trips with his friends and family to the Dakotas and Canada, among other places. He also traveled extensively to North and South America, Europe, Australia and Africa. Dick had an innate talent for business, which surfaced at an early age. When he was still in grade school, he sold cold pop to the home construction workers in the neighborhood in the summer; later there were greeting cards and ballpoint pens, among other opportunities. By high school, he had bought some vending machines and had a small route selling peanuts, gum, etc., in various stores. Summers were spent working in the family Bible publishing and distributing office. After college, he joined the family business partnership with his mother, father and his brother Bill. By the late 1960s, he had assumed primary responsibility for the Bible company. In the 1970s, Dick enlarged the family partnership to include an 8,900-acre cattle ranch in the Flint Hills. There were substantial other ventures that lasted several years, including a sizable dairy, breeding Holstein Springer dairy cattle, farmland near Wichita, and investments in the oil and gas industry. He retired from active business in 1995, when some of the enterprises were sold and others were delegated to other family members. He moved to Wickenburg in 1998 and immediately became involved in charitable foundations there. He devoted several years to the board of the Desert Caballeros Western Museum and was a major fundraiser and donor. He also generously supported the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts and was honored with “The Henry Award” in 2007 for “his driving force “ in creating “Cowgirl Up!” One of Dick’s favorite achievements was the installation of numerous life-size sculptures throughout the downtown area of Wickenburg, for which he received a “Special Achievement Award” from the Chamber of Commerce. He was honored and deeply touched by receiving the Henry Award again in 2009 for “Meritorious Service to Wickenburg.” Dick and his then-wife Ginny were chosen to be grand marshals of the Gold Rush Days Parade in Wickenburg. He also enjoyed golf and was an active member of Los Caballeros Golf Club. Dick’s charitable activities in Wichita were many and varied. As partner with his brother in the DeVore Foundation, he contributed much to Wichita’s cultural life, public art and received the excellence in Public Service Award. He received numerous awards for his dedicated service to community groups including the Salvation Army, Downtown Wichita Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the Wichita Art Museum. Similarly, his extensive fundraising and loyal devotion to the YMCA led to the naming of the Richard A. DeVore South Branch YMCA. Dick was the creator of the Greater Wichita Community Foundation, which benefits untold local charities. He was a charter member of Wichita Wagon Masters and a charter member of the Flint Hills National Golf Club. He is survived by his wife Karol; daughter Ashley DeVore of San Francisco; son Richard S. DeVore and wife Mimi of Montauk, N.Y.; grandchildren Luc, Max and Alexandra DeVore; and brother William “Bill” and Alta Devore of Wichita. Additionally, he is survived by step-children Amy Merritt and husband Rob of suburban Chicago; Patty de Oliveira of Brazil and husband Luiz; Jim Lewallen Jr. and Chris Lewallen, both of Arizona; step-grandchildren Robert Merritt, Caroline Merritt, Patrick de Oliveira, Viviana S. de Oliveira, Cole Lewallen, Colin Lewallen, Myles Lewallen, Angelina Lewallen, Katelynn Lewallen and Maddox Lewallen. Dick will be missed by the many people whose lives he touched and who benefited from his generosity. Contributions in his honor may be made to the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts, 1090 S. Vulture Mine Rd., Wickenburg, AZ 85390; Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N. Frontier St., Wickenburg, AZ 85390; or the Wichita Art Museum, 1400 Museum Blvd., Wichita, KS 67203. There will be a celebration of life for Dick on Saturday, March 19 at 3 p.m. in the Atrium of the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts. |
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