April 1, 1930 ~ Dec. 11, 2024
Ruth Eva Caldwell DeVore, 94, of Grand Junction, Colorado, embarked on her heavenly journey on Dec. 11, 2024. Ruth was born in Grand Junction on April 1, 1930, to Verne and Hannah (Blue) Caldwell of Meeker, Colorado.
Ruth attended grade school in Meeker, where her father, Verne Caldwell, managed the 101 Ranch (now RBR). During the summers, she and her siblings, John and Rachel, spent their days at the Watson place upriver, riding and playing together. In the winters, they lived at Scenery Gulch with their Aunt Eva Crawford, their teacher at the White River School, and later attended schools in Meeker. The family eventually moved to Grand Junction due to her father’s health, although they continued to spend summers at Trappers Lake Lodge, which he managed.
Ruth graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1948. She then attended Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri, graduating in 1950, majoring in vocal music. In the 1970s, she furthered her education in early childhood development at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming.
While at Cottey College, Ruth met her first husband, William Nichols, with whom she had two children. After Ruth returned to Meeker, she met and married the love of her life, Jack H. DeVore, adding four more children to their family. After Jack’s passing, she married Charles F. DeVore.
In addition to raising her family, Ruth worked as a substitute teacher and a daycare manager while living in Wyoming. Upon Jack’s retirement from the Forest Service, they moved to Colorado. Ruth retired in 1992 from her role as an administrative assistant with Mesa County School District’s Food Service in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Family was paramount to Ruth, but her warmth and generosity extended to everyone she met, making them feel like part of her extended family. She cherished her church friends, her P.E.O. sisters, and the La Villa Grande Care Center staff where she lived at the time of her death. Ruth was known for her great sense of humor and her love of spirited debates, often taking an opposing view just to engage others.
Ruth was adventurous and skilled in many areas. She loved traveling by auto, train, plane, boat, horse, or ATV, learning about new places, and always stopping to read historical markers. Ruth was kind to people and animals and was talented at sewing, cross-stitching, crocheting, and singing. She was unbeatable at cards and an expert angler, often catching the first, biggest, and most fish on any outing.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Verne and Hannah (Blue) Caldwell; her brother, John F. Caldwell, her sister, Rachel (Buck) Palmer, and her husbands, William Nichols, Jack H. DeVore, and Charles F. DeVore.
Her children survive Ruth, Doc (Cheryl) DeVore, Sharon (Bill) Johnson, Bev (Roy) DeVore-Wedding, Jackie (Rob) Kastner, Allan (Annie) DeVore, and Caroline (Douglas) Carey; her grandchildren also survive her, Travis DeVore, Heather Hartnett, Jason DeVore, Falon Outlaw, Sean DeVore, Mysha Mattimoe, David Christensen, Sharolyn Barkley, Sara Kastner, Cody DeVore, and Cory DeVore. She is survived by her great-grandchildren, Decker (Preslee) Mattimoe, Davin Mattimoe, Mikey Hartnett, Vivian Hartnett, Isaac Christensen, Linda Christensen, Trent Lopez, Tate Lopez, Tristin DeVore, Makayla Christensen, Nate Christensen, and her great-great-grandchildren, Maya Shelley, Gevaya Lell, Anthony Lopez, Andrik Lopez, and Remi Mattimoe.
Services will be held at Loma Community Church, at 11 a.m. on Jan. 18, 2025. Graveside services will be held at a later date in Meeker, Colorado.
Instead of flowers, donations may be made to your favorite charity or nonprofit in memory of Ruth.
