Robert Merrill Devereaux

Robert Devereaux, age 91, of Litchfield, died on Tuesday, August 15, 2017, at his home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 11:00 AM at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be held on Friday from 4:00 until 7:00 PM at Zion Lutheran Church and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held in the Lake Ripley Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by Litchfield Military Honor Guard. Robert Merrill Devereaux was the fourth of six children born to Robert A. and Selma H. (Olson) Devereaux on September 13, 1925 on a farm outside of Tuttle, North Dakota. They were members of the Church in Tuttle, and at Christmas time, Robert and his brother sang Jesus Loves Me for the Sunday School Program. Because of the Depression and the severe drought in North Dakota, the family moved to a farm outside of Wadena, Minnesota in 1934. He was baptized in the Lutheran Faith in N.D. and confirmed in the Lutheran Church in Verndale, MN. He attended public schools graduating from Verndale High School Class of 1943. He was drafted into the Military Service in 1944. He was sent to Camp Phannon, Texas, and served overseas for 18 months. He served our Country during World War II as a member of K-301 Company-94th Infantry Division. They fought through the Rhineland and Central Europe (the Siegfreid Line) into Czechoslovakia. His Company received several metals including Combat Infantry Badge, Presidential Citation, Bronze Stars and many more numerous victory metals. After the War, he was transferred to the 1st Infantry Division and was sent to serve as an Honor Guard for the War Crimes Trials in Nurnberg, Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1946. When the Troops marched in the Freedom Parade into Prague, Czechoslovakia, his Mother saw him on a News Reel at the Local Theater, and exclaimed, "There's Robert." He returned home to Wadena, MN following an extensive trip of the West Coast of the U.S. He worked for a time in California in the Chrysler Corporation Industry. He worked also in the Warehouse and drove truck for Northern Co-op in Wadena. He was hauling groceries and feed to business customers and returning with loads of butter. Robert came to Litchfield, MN in 1953 with Maurice Merickel to set up a House Building Business on East Highway 12 called Conventional Built Homes. He served as Plant Superintendent and Purchasing Agent during its business years. Following that Company, he worked for Jack Littfin in the Glencoe Store, as well as the Winsted MN house building Plant. He attended many Builders Shows and Conventions in Minneapolis as well as Indianapolis, Indiana. He married Beatrice Helen Leines, a Litchfield Vocal Music Teacher, at Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar, MN December 1959, during Christmas "break". They had two sons: Mark Robert in 1962 and Michael Richard in 1965. Robert built our Lake Cottage north of Litchfield where we lived while he was working on our new home on South Austin in Litchfield. We moved into our new home in November of 1964. In retirement, he helped John Miller with farming. He did many work-related, as well as necessary carpentry tasks for many people, as well as family. He is survived by his wife, Bea, Sons: Mark R. (Susan), of Hutchinson, and Michael R. of Litchfield. His Brother Duane (Emmy) of Woodbury and Sun City West, AZ. and Sister Donna (LeRoy) Kresien of Wadena, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents Robert A. in 1970 and Selma H. in 1980, his sisters Marge Newton and Dorothy Holm, and brother Lyall A. Devereaux. Memorials to Zion Lutheran or First Lutheran music departments or Litchfield Area Hospice are preferred in lieu of flowers.