Shirley A. DeVoe

Shirley Ann DeVoe, 83, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2026 in Virginia Beach, Virginia after a long battle with dementia. She was born October 21, 1942 and raised in Danville, Illinois to the late Oscar and Violet June Gaie (nee Martin). She graduated from Danville High School in Danville, Illinois in 1960.

Shirley married her first husband shortly after graduation and moved to Orlando, Florida. After divorcing her first husband, she met her true life partner and husband of 52 years, Duane C. DeVoe. For the next 26 years, she ran the family as the spouse of an active duty Marine from 1971 to 1997 through nine moves and homes raising three boys. Outside of the home, Shirley spent many years volunteering as a Den Leader and Committee member in various Cub Scout and Boy Scout units while her children were young, as well as an adult leader in the Young Astronaut Program, coaching tee ball, math aide, classroom volunteer at school and as a team mother in various youth sports programs among many other volunteer endeavors.

She loved the outdoors and hiking, whether it was a quick walk in the local woods or an organized Volksmarch and collecting a medal, she moved at a fast pace but was always sure to take in the nature around her. Often these outdoor forays would include picking wild berries, grapes, and morel mushrooms only to enjoy the fruits of her labors later in a variety of delicious ways. Despite only having a high school diploma, Shirley had an impressive vocabulary and command of the English language. She was an avid reader and loved crosswords and word games and puzzles of every type. When she wasn’t doing all of these other things, she was ruthlessly crushing her opponent at a game of cards.

Shirley was an avid football fanatic, and the Dallas Cowboys were her team. Through thick and thin, she was always ferociously loyal.

As her children started to get older, Shirley worked as an instructional aide in an elementary school special education classroom. Later in life, she worked for both CVS Pharmacy and American Greetings and was repeatedly recognized for her exceptional work ethic. While still able in her later years, she continued her lifelong calling of volunteerism serving as the treasurer for the United Methodist Women at Thalia United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach.

Over the course of her adult life, Shirley loved three dogs: Brute, Koda, and Sonny, each of which provided companionship of an unknowable depth.

Shirley was a compassionate friend to all, and incredibly devoted to those friends closest to her throughout life: Peggy, Louise, Ida, Carol, and Nancy to name just a few. She loved all of her family and found exceptional joy in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, going so far as to share the count with the world on her license plate. The sweet and loving

person they all knew as grandma persisted to the very end despite her dementia and her true character was recognized and cherished by those who helped care for her in the memory care unit.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Duane, her brother Raymond Gaie, her sisters Anna Marie Bradshaw and Kathy Sue Dennis, a son, Thomas Wayne DeVoe, and her daughter-in-law, Rhonda Jo DeVoe.

She is survived by and her memory will be cherished by two sons: Michael Ray DeVoe of Virginia Beach, and Daniel Arthur DeVoe and Emily of Fairfax Station, Virginia; two brothers: Herman Bradshaw and Bradford Bradshaw of Orlando, Florida, and two sisters: Nancy and Robert Mackey, of Orlando, Florida and Connie Faulkner of Noblesville, Indiana; eight grandchildren: Holly, Megan, Morgan, Joshua, William, Amber, Matthew, and Leah and two great-grandsons, Carter and Theo.

The family invites friends to a time of visitation on Monday, March 16, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 6329 E. Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk. The funeral service to celebrate her life will begin at 11 a.m. following the visitation. Following the funeral, she will be laid to rest beside her husband in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. (In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.alz.org). Please visit her webpage at www.woodlawnnorfolk.com to leave a note of condolence to her family.