Mom 

was going thru some files today and cleaning them out when i came acrossed a file on you with doctors and all you health care pic and as i was reading the stuff i could see you standing there saying what do we do now i swear you dont have anything else to do outher than make me doc app and waste you gas to go there but since we are out you might as well get some lunch or dinner and guess where we had to go yem poposshe new the menue better than the girls that worked there mom you will live for ever in my heart i lost 1 of my best freinds and you on the same day 
love always 
your som bill

We are thankful and blessed to remember mom as she was sol loved by so many.  Sisters, brothers, children, nieces, nephews, grand-kids and great-grand-kids.

Merry Christmas .....

I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too.

I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and a picture in a frame.

Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part. God has you in his arms. I have you in my heart.

My condolences  - 
Rollin R. DeVere of Chagrin Falls OH
(son of Rollin R. DeVere and newphew of Lorena DeVere and Robert DeVere of Canton, OH)

Mom in 2004 you came out to Buckeye and lived with me and Kathy. For a year we went through numerous caregivers. Then Lisa got certified as a caregiver and she was truly a special blessing for grandma. Mostly because she loved grandma so much and she was also her granddaughter. With Lisa there for us the care for grandma was exceptional. When the grandkids saw her every morning they truly were the light of her life. Mom, grandma we will miss you so much. But we know that you are in a much better place. Love Bill and Kathy

I have many fond and funny (some not appropriate to share with the public) memories of Grandma Ann so it’s been really hard to pick just one to write about. The time that stands out the most for me was while Roy was stationed in Germany. 

We’d go on little adventures after all the children that she cared for during the day had gone home. After everything settled down and was quiet, she’d say “Get Rosie, let’s go for drive!” Grandma would point out places that she’d been to and tell me stories about her younger days – I learned quite a bit about the family during our drives.
 
Sometimes we’d go visiting family and friends but on the late night adventures we’d drive aimlessly around Phoenix or to outlying areas so far you couldn’t see anything but the stars. 

Once while we were looking for a store in the middle of nowhere, Grandma yelled “Turn here!” when she spotted one across the road.  I turned without question after all she was wearing her glasses, thus, could see the road better than me and a seasoned bus driver to boot– wrong!! 

That front end dropped like a rock and we started bouncing all over the place. I remember thinking that surely, they wouldn’t build a store next to a cliff, and so relieved once I realized I was right. When we got up the other side of the embankment, we sat there and looked at each other for minute or two then laughed until we cried. We had the daylights (yes, I’m being polite here) scared out of us - almost like being on a roller coaster.

But the most memorable thing about all of the drives we took together was the love and pride she had in her voice when telling her stories or talking in general about her boys, grandchildren, family and friends. I think Grandma Ann enjoyed the times when our families would all get together the most and apparently knew the importance of family togetherness since she frequently insisted that we come home from Ft Huachuca during the holidays. 

I will always treasure my memories of Grandma Ann and time I had with her but with a few regrets, for I’m guilty, of taking for granted the time that our loved ones will be with us. Often saying “we’ll get together soon” always forgetting that “soon” may never come.  So in the future, it is my hope, that we all say it less and act on it more.  Life’s too short for regrets.

Grandma Ann, thank you for the ride – I love and will miss you.

My Best Memory Ever

My mom went on a lot of "road trips" with us to different places like Sedona & Flagstaff, baseball games & bowling & of course we went to PoPo's, but one of my best memories is when we piled in the car for a road trip up to Williams to catch the train ride to the Grand Canyon We all had so much fun talking, spending time together. 

We were all enjoying the view and didn't notice a deer had walked up behind mom….just standing there looking at us when we all decided to turn and move on, the deer jumped and mom jumped and we all jumped….l thought she was gonna jump over the edge ... then we all started laughing hysterically!

Then on the train trip back to Williams they stop the train so we can get "robbed" HAHA but mom didn't know that it was part of the trip….one of the "robbers sat down next to her and she proceeded to tell him to keep moving and that he wasn't getting anything from her....It was a great trip and I'm glad we have the memory of her coming along with us.

Mom, you were so very special to us. Without your loving care of all of us, things would have been so much harder. But all the little one's kept you young at heart. We are going to miss you so much. I'm so grateful that you didn't have to suffer and now you are with your husband and daughter and other's that you loved so much. Grandma we will miss you so much. Love Kathy & Bill

Memories of Mom
Annie Mae DeVere aka Grandma Ann
By Son James Eller DeVere

October 31, 1923 – 1930s:  Mom was born as Annie Mae Lawrence on Oct 31, 1923 to very large dairy farming family.  Over time, mom would work on her dad’s dairy farms in Phoenix around 19th Ave and Glendale, 19th Avenue and Marilyn Avenue, Mesa (location?), and Chandler Northwest corner Alma School Road and Pecos. Her father, Walter James Lawrence and mother Nanie Bell Lane Lawrence were to eventually be parents to 10 children.  Mom’s sisters and brothers Jim, Clyde, Bill, and Fred Lawrence and Lee Slate Everett passed away before mom with surviving brothers and sisters Pete and Roy Lawrence, Myrtle Peterson and Perley Hayes.  As you may guess, there are lots of stories to be known about Annie Mae and her large family.  She often referred to herself as Ann while her dad and many family members tagged her as “Sally”.
Earliest memories of mom would be her growing up in the Valley of the Sun (aka Phoenix, Arizona) for all us Native Arizonans for which there are many in our family.  Female family members in a farming environment were routinely referred to as “inside” or “outside” girls.  “Inside” means you cook, clean house, take care of ill family members and other duties while “outside” means you milk cows, clean barns, feed animals, harvest citrus, melons and other products along with many other outside chores.  Mom always said she did it all and you can believe it based on all the stories family has told and things we did with her as we grew older. She went to school up through some high school leaving before graduating to take care of a very ill mother and other farm chores with most of her youth working the family dairy farm milking cows, cleaning barns and many other farm chores.  
During high school mom met Dorothy Tilly aka Dot. Well, Dot eventually became known as Aunt Dot to us, since she married mom’s brother our Uncle Jimmy. Of course Aunt Dot would become mom’s sister-in-law to mom but mostly a life-long much loved close friend.  Well many stories about mom and Aunt Dot during high school.  Mom would be given a quarter for lunch (amount varies by time) while Dorothy would bring home made lunch which they would trade so Dorothy could buy cigarettes and they would both share the home made lunch.  At least that is the story we heard.   Later mom and Aunt Dot would become co-workers during war effort at Goodyear as rivet girls building airplanes.  Mom would hammer the rivet head while Dot would hold tool to brace for rivet hammering by mom.   Often times Dot would be inside the airplane shell, with mom outside hammering.  As my aunt Dot would say, the buck often stopped with her. 
During mom’s youth she had a wood cutting accident with an axe wielded by a brother who severed two of her fingers at the first knuckle on her right hand ring and center fingers.  Later when she would get her nails done, she would always ask for a discount since she only had eight finger nails.
1940 - 1943:  Mom met her husband to be Edward Eller DeVere through aunt Dot.  How mom and dad met gets quite complicated so other family members may have to correct me on the story.  But we believe aunt Dot was dating or knew Ed which resulted in mom meeting and marrying our dad and aunt Dot meeting and marrying Mom’s brother uncle Jimmy.  That’s how her name became Annie Mae DeVere. Try understanding that, if that is the correct story.  They were known to frequent many party places together with dad wearing his western garb while mom wore her Squaw (Indian) dresses with silver Concho belts and turquoise jewelry.  Dad plucked at a guitar while singing and yodeling.   Mom never had a drink of alcohol nor a cigarette except maybe 1-puff she would say “that made her feel yuckie”.
1944 – 1967: Dad joined the United States Air Force at the start of World War II.  Military families know this really means family life becomes much entwined with military rules and centers around where dad gets stationed.  The remaining of dad’s military service time dad would travel to a new base to get housing ready for the family, then the next summer or next major school break the mom and kids would move to where dad is stationed and the family would usually live together for the next two years.  Then dad would get transferred to another duty station, whereas mom and kids would move back to Arizona and await dad getting housing setup at our next two year destination on or near an Air Force Base. Because of this, the family lived in Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Alaska and Arizona.  Dad was stationed for short times at both Luke and Williams AFB in Phoenix Arizona vicinity.  Later as dad rose in rank within the Air Force, he became known as “Staff Sgt DeVere” or “Sarge”. Dad added “Sr.” to his name when he became father and Annie Mae became mom to each of who were born in Phoenix Arizona.  
February 21, 1944 James Eller DeVere 
August 12, 1945 Patricia Bell DeVere   (Deceased Sept 16, 1963)
January 10, 1947 Edward Eller DeVere, Jr.
July 11, 1951 William Cleveland DeVere
November 17, 1956 Roy Martin DeVere
July 25, 1967 Michael Lynn Devere
While dad performed his military duties, mom was almost always employed at a Child Care facility taking care of kids or driving school bus for a nursery. While in Georgia, mom planned and the staffed the first Child Care facility that Air Force Base. Mom’s sister, our Aunt Lee, joined us to work in local drinking establishment whereas mom disliked “the bar scene” so she had our dad go down and explain to the owners that Aunt Lee would not be returning and brought our feisty Aunt Lee back to our home. We never got to hear how dad explained it to the rowdy owner. While in Alabama, dad’s sister Aunt Joyce joined us for a brief time. During Christmas Joyce, mom and family drew Christmas scenes on home windows and painted them with many cheerful Christmas colors.   Aunt Joyce is a terrific artist and skilled writer. While in San Antonio, Texas dad became a Cub Scout Master, mom as Den Mother, son James as Den Chief, other brothers as cub scouts and daughter Patsy a Bluebird (Girl Scout).  She taught troop members the Cub Scout oath, how to build wooden bird houses and many other arts and crafts projects. Around 1955, we got military orders to prepare to move to Quam/Okinawa/Japan area with our dad. Mom and all the kids got many many inoculations (shots) over a period of several weeks.  All of us got sick from several of the shots, but were excited about going to see dad.  At end of inoculations, we got news that the orders to go to Okinawa were cancelled and dad would be coming home soon. Turns out that dad had received third degree burns of the right hand when he saved the loss of a wooden dining hall in the face of a 375-degree grease fire for which he received awards and recognition above and beyond his duty. While in Arizona before and between moving and living at Air Force Base areas, mom would work at Child Care or on Dairy farms to help her dad.  She hand milked cows morning and night and did all needed to execute dairy chores 
1960:  Dad, retired from the Air Force moving mom and kids back to Arizona on 2615 W Luke Avenue, Phoenix Az.   He got several jobs at restaurants as a chef and extra job at automotive dealerships where he did his love of life work as auto mechanic.  Mom, dad and kids were often covered in grease at our home from working on classic cars.  Many good times.
March 10, 1967: Mom’s husband and friend passed away leaving behind him 4 sons and a deceased daughter.  He left one more surprise that neither dad nor mom told the rest of us.  After his death, mom gave birth to Michael Lynn DeVere, their 5th son.  Mom was worked for Kiddies’ Kingdom 1962-1973 on 43rd Avenue, Phoenix Az as child care provider and nursery school bus driver.  One day her car broke down and she walked most of the five plus miles from home to work that day.  Son James moved to his new home on Ruth Avenue and mom moved from her Luke address to North 19th Avenue to son and wife James and Judy’s townhouse where she continued to care for kids in her home.  She loved the home, but it was two stories and family became concerned about her walking up and down stairs.  In 1974 the Townhouse was sold and mom moved to her home on 72nd Drive. 
Oct 31, 2003:  Mom went for a rare doctor visit scheduled by son James based on poor breathing noticed prior weekend.  Doctor put mom in ambulance sending her directly to the hospital where she began her long journey with congestive heart failure, diabetes, dementia and other illnesses.  She began taking large numbers of medicine which was eventually administered daily by son and daughter-in-law Ed and Pat DeVere because of mom’s dementia.  Shortly afterwards, mom sold her car since she could not drive safely with her dementia.
2004:  Mom moved to Buckeye Az with son and daughter-in-law Bill and Kathy DeVere.  She lived there for the rest of her life.  She enjoyed lots of fun with family during this time. She especially enjoyed travel with family being driven to many events and places.  She dearly loved visits from sons, daughter-in-laws, brothers, sisters.  But her role as Grandma Ann was most cherished.  She loved all her grandkids.  She was of course still a kid at heart and surely would want to be remember as such. 
February 14, 2011 - Eternity:  Yes, mom was born on Oct 31, 1923 and passed away on February 14, 2011. We joked about her being born on Halloween and passing away on Valentine’s Day saying she was born a “witch” but passed way a “Sweetheart”.   By the way, only very close family talk about her being born a witch and she would be first to say she might not have really always been a sweetheart.  You only needed to meet her to know how caring and hard-working she led her life.  Talk a few minutes with any family member or friend that knew her and you would know how she was loved, cared for and will be remembered for all her contributions during her life.  Her favorite bible verse is Psalm 23:1-6 from which she knew that she “will dwell in the house of the lord forever”.

I am not a religious type of person but I do believe that God saw you were getting tired, and a cure was not meant to be.

He put his arms around you, and whispered come with me.

With tearful eyes we watched, as you pass away.

Although we love you deeply, we could not make you stay.

Your loving heart stopped beating, hard working hands finally at rest.

Our hearts were broken…
but proof  to us, He only takes the best.

When someone very special like Annie has touches your life and moves on to become a memory.

Her memory becomes something very special to treasure that will be with you for life.

In Loving Memory 


Bill Jackson

Mom, I didn’t get to spend as much time with you as I would’ve liked, being gone so long while in the military and with work. But I’m very thankful for the time we had at the hospital and glad I could tell you I loved you before you left us to be with Dad and Patsy. I’ll miss you. Love always, Roy aka DP

One of many memories was the simplest just sitting in the living room of the DeVere home on Luke eating bean burros and watching Emergency on a Saturday night with Aunt Annie. I miss those times  and I miss Aunt Annie.

When i first met Annie was, in 1996 when i became the pastor of First Baptist Bible Church. She was a blessing from the start. Annie, Mary , Dot, and Mrs Brewer were a great help during a difficult time within the church. From that time on Annie and i spent many of time conversing about family and church during the times i would pick her up for church. These will be the times i miss greatly!
May the Lord be with you!
Pastor Jerry Danforth

Grandma Ann is alive in the memories of those people that she touched.

Mom you have made my life one worth living . You have touched so many hearts and you will never know how many people you have helped anlong the way, from all the kids that you worked with and drove the buss for all them years, you worked as hard as you could to raise your kids and give them what they thought they needed you always did what you could for them mom i will always be thinking about you and  the good time we had 

your son 
Bill

Grandma Ann you have tought me so much. You have help me become the loving mother wife, daughter and grand daughter that I am today. 
 
My family and friends I thank you all from the bottom of my heart we all have been there for one another so much in everyones time of need and that means so much to us all.

Many thanks to all the words of comfort from all of mom's family and friends.   

Son Jim

OBITUARY

Annie Grandma Ann Mae Lawrence DeVere

31 October, 1923 – 14 February, 2011

Greenwood Memory Lawn Mortuary & Cemetery

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services