Obituary of Louis Benjamin DeVries

Louis Benjamin DeVries was born on December 2, 1932, to Jake and Jennie DeVries at the family home in Dumont, Iowa. In 1934, his parents purchased a farm near Ackley, Iowa from his grandparents and moved the family there. Louis grew up helping on the farm, milking cows, tending livestock, and even raising guinea pigs one year. On Saturdays the whole family went to town for groceries and ice cream which was surely the source of his lifelong sweet tooth. The DeVries children went to the local country school through the eighth grade and then went to high school in Ackley. As a boy, Louis enjoyed playing with toy tractors. When he outgrew that, his father put him to work driving the family tractor and plowing the fields every summer until he decided to join the military. Louis joined the United States Army in December 1950. Following six weeks of basic training, he attended map-compiling school in Washington, D.C. From there, he and his classmates shipped out to Japan. Louis’ deployment in Japan lasted over one and a half years during which he made maps of the frontlines in Korea from reconnaissance photos. He used his weekends off to explore the local area, ski in the mountains, and even try his hand at sailing with his fellow servicemen. Louis was honorably discharged as a Corps of Engineers Corporal in December 1952 and returned to the family farm. Soon after, he decided to attend the DeVry Institute in Chicago. Upon completing his studies, he moved to Dike, Iowa and started a television repair business. On October 19, 1956, Louis married Janet Nevenhoven in Ackley. Thereafter they made a home and started a family together in Dike. After closing his business, Louis worked at an electric company in Waterloo, Iowa until taking a job at Shield Bantam in Waverly, Iowa. When he started a job with Oliver Tractor, the family moved to Charles City, Iowa. He spent 24 years at Oliver where he worked his way up to foreman of electricians. In 1982, he and Janet moved the family to Linn Creek, Missouri where they ran the Creel Resort together until their retirement. Louis lived a life of service and was always engaged in the community. He was a volunteer firefighter; an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (V.F.W.); Chairman of Camdenton V.F.W. Bingo for many years; President of the Cedar Valley Engine Club in Charles City, Iowa; President of the Osage River Engine Club in Eldon, Missouri; President of the board at Lake Area Industries for 15 years; and a board member of the United Methodist Church in Linn Creek. He was also a volunteer with Adopt-the-Shoreline, and in 2008 he received the Outstanding Volunteer Award for having cleaned 13 miles of shoreline and 35 tons of trash with his group since 1996. For his service in the Army he received the United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. In addition to all his volunteer positions, Louis was also a bus driver for the Camdenton R-III school district for several years. He also loved working with his hands, doing everything from repairing antique engines, tractors, and a steam engine to gardening and building just about anything, including a playhouse for his granddaughters. Louis also enjoyed fishing, playing with his dogs, playing guitar and other instruments, and singing in the church choir. He led an active and multi-faceted life, waterskiing and farming as well as continuing to travel and even weld into his eighties. Louis died on January 16, 2020, at the age of 87 at his home in Linn Creek. He was predeceased by his parents, Jake and Jennie DeVries; his older sister, Dorothy, and brother-inlaw, Chris Stubbe; his older brother, Arnold; and a lifetime’s worth of faithful dogs. He is survived by his wife, Janet; his twin sister, Louella, and brother-in-law, Don Condie; his brother, Richard, and sister-in-law, Linda; his sister-in-law, Laura; his four children, Eric, Todd, Beth, and Kara; four granddaughters, Melissa, Nicole Lynnae, Catherine, and Miranda; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Louis’ life on Thursday, January 23 at the United Methodist Church in Linn Creek. Visitation will be 1:00 P.M. to 3:00P.M., services at 3:00 P.M. with military honors to follow. Memorials are suggested to United Methodist Church, Linn Creek, Missouri or to the family.