Dennis Ardell Devine 1941 - 2016

FRANCIS, DEVINE, WELCH

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/12/2017 at 22:36:36

Sioux City Journal
24 December 2016

BRONSON, Iowa | Dennis Ardell Devine, 75, of Laurie, Mo., formerly of Bronson, passed away on Dec. 22, 2016, after a heroic fight with lung cancer.

Services will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Laurie, with the Rev. Henry Ussher celebrating. Visitation will be 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, with a rosary prayed at 6:30 p.m., all at the church. Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Kidwell-Garber Laurie/Sunrise Beach Chapel. Expressions of sympathy may be left online at www.kidwellgarber.com.

Visitation will be 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Meyers Brothers Morningside Chapel, 6200 Morningside Drive, in Sioux City. Immediately followed by a graveside service in Climbing Hill Cemetery. Climbing Hill, Iowa. A luncheon will be served at Bronson Community Center.

Denny was born in Sioux City, to Bob and Betty Jean (Francis) Devine, on Dec. 7, 1941, the very same day that Pearl Harbor was bombed. He graduated from Bronson High School in 1960 and served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 1960 to 1966.

Denny began his career in banking at First National Bank in Sioux City, where he met fellow co-worker, Margaret Welch. They were married in 1961 and had five children. Dennis and Marge's family has included many non-traditional members over the years, including foster children, foreign exchange students, numerous youth from Guatemala and India sponsored through Christian Foundation of Children and Aging, and an open door for those in need of a warm welcome.

Dennis was a man of many interests. He was an entrepreneur, a businessman, a banker, and a real estate broker. He started an employment agency, sold seed corn for Cargill, and then settled into a long career in banking. He retired as president of the Fillmore County Bank in Geneva, Neb. in 1984 to dedicate his full attention to Wildcat Enterprises, Inc., a flatbed trucking company that he and Marge started in a spare bedroom and grew together into a successful company. Wildcat was able to sponsor another interest, a sprint/midget race car team. When they sold the company in 1999, they retired to live full-time in Sunrise Beach, Mo. Not content to be idle, Dennis explored his interests in antique power, collecting and restoring antique Minneapolis Moline tractors. He was never happier than when he was watching his sons drive race cars, piloting his grandchildren in boat rides on Lake of the Ozarks, or driving one of his tractors in a small town parade.

At age 70, Denny decided he needed a project, so he got his real estate brokers license and began working at Devine & Associates Real Estate. He was pleased to share the knowledge and expertise that he'd learned over his lifetime to help others. His entire life included a commitment to his community and the people who made their towns work. He used his time to serve on municipal boards, school boards, state economic development boards, church committees and so much more.

For Dennis, coffee wasn't just a hot drink. Coffee was your community. He went to coffee in every town he ever lived in. Coffee was where you connected with the everyday people who make your town run. He loved going to coffee because he loved people, all kinds of people. He didn't seek out educated or influential, wealthy or powerful; he sought to connect with everyone who cared about what was happening in their town. And so over the years, he would go to coffee at the cafe on main street, the gas station on the hill, the mini-mart, the meat market, and most recently, Omega Coffee in Laurie, an actual coffee shop. And he went every day, for as long as he could. And when his illness progressed so he couldn't go to coffee, coffee friends came to him.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Marge; and children, Therese Devine (Jim Ford) of Orland Park, Ill., Shawn (George) Stewart of Englewood, Colo., David Devine of Eldon, Mo., Denise (Fred) Wiebelhaus of Norfolk, Neb., and Andrew (Michelle) Devine of Albion, Neb.; his 14 grandchildren, Tyler Devine, Jack Ford, Mack Stewart, Sean Devine, Kate Ford, Devin Wiebelhaus, Jamie Stewart, Aimee Wiebelhaus, Ryan Wiebelhaus, David Ford, Jacob Devine, Nathan Devine, Makenna Devine, and Adelynn Devine; and great-granddaughter, Maikenzie Devine. He is also survived by his siblings, David (Leona) Devine, Linda (Dean) Rasmussen, Fran (Vern) Renken, and Becky (Jim) Faaborg; and dozens of nieces and nephews, as well as former daughter-in-law, Vicki Devine. His family of loved ones extends far beyond who could be listed here.