Dale Louis DeVoe, 89, of Neodesha, formerly of Grove, Okla., passed away Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 surrounded by family. Dale was born July 2, 1934 in rural Elm Creek, Nebraska, the son of Claude Lester and Rena May (Milton) DeVoe. He graduated from Elm Creek High School at the age of 16. Dale, a retired Operations/ Engineering Consultant, traveled and worked all over the world. After high school, he worked on local ranches alongside his brother Jack. Deciding the ranch life wasn’t for him, he started working for Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) in Elm Creek loading 100lb. gunny sacks of alfalfa pellets into rail cars stacking them for shipment. Through the years he worked his way up in ADM from Pellet Mill Operator to Construction Department to District Maintenance Supervisor for Western Alfalfa Corp., where he traveled throughout Kansas and Nebraska repairing plants. Then it was onto Plant Manager in Belle Plaine. He then took the position as General Manager for United Alfalfa Mills in El Centro, Calif.; followed by a few years, ‘69-‘73, at MEC Company in Neodesha as a Start-Up Technician and Construction Manager. In 1973, he bought an interest in Eureka Alfalfa Processors in Eureka, and moved the family there. This plant was then sold to a Canadian company, disassembled and moved to Canada. Following the sale of the plant, Dale was a Technical Consultant for Westston Drying Co. in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In 1977, he started Dale L. DeVoe Co. in Eureka, performing consulting work in the drying and feed mill equipment industry, inspection work of all types of plants and equipment along with dryer repair and track grinding work. Dale also worked as a Field Service Rep for Guaranty Performance Co., Inc. of Independence. Dale retired from ASIMA Corp./ESE of Caney, as an Engineering Consultant for new plant start-ups as well as overseeing the equipment rebuild division.
Work Hard, Play Hard. Dale embraced the grind and enjoyed the rewards! He loved to hunt, fish, woodworking, golf and boating. To this day, we all know to sit down, shut up and hold on when docking the boat! Dale loved a good party and could jitter bug like no other.
Dale DeVoe was a manly man as stated by grandson Jake. He practiced and taught a strong work ethic which started out as learning to hold the flashlight or screwdriver patiently for him. As Steve says, he was rich in wisdom, common sense, kindness and love.
Dale was united in marriage to Katherine (Kate) Lemmer in April 1953 and two daughters were born. Kate was killed in 1959 in a train accident. Dale married Theta June Schoonover of Neodesha, in 1960. A son and daughter were born to this union. They later divorced. In December 1989, Dale married Mary Arnwine of Independence. Tragically, Mary passed in March 1992 of a brain aneurysm. In June 2001, Dale married Patsy Smith of Neosho, Mo. and they later divorced.
Dale is preceded in death by wives Kate, Mary and Theta; daughter, Sheri; parents, Claude and Rena; his brother, John “Jack,” granddaughter, June; grandson, Jeremy and great-grandson, Austin.
He is survived by his sister, Lela DeVoe of Crosby, Minn., daughter Rhonda DeVoe of Wichita, son Stephen (Sandy) DeVoe, Sr. of Siloam Springs, Ark. and daughter Christy (Michael) Springer of rural Neodesha along with 14 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Funeral services to honor and celebrate Dale’s life were held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at Cornerstone Christian Church, 1005 Golf Course Road, Fredonia. Dale’s ashes will be placed beside Mary in San Bois Cemetery in Kinta, Okla. at a later date.
A memorial has been established in his name with Cornerstone Christian Church of Fredonia. Contributions may be sent in care of Loran Fawcett Chapel of Neodesha.
