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BORN
1940
DIED
2019
Maude Elmore-DeVictor Obituary
Born March 24, 1940 in Lovejoy, Illinois, she was the birth daughter of the late Mary V. King-Glass and the adopted daughter of the late John T. Elmore and Earlie M. Elmore.
She is survived by her son Vincent DeVictor and his wife Monica of San Mateo, CA
A Navy veteran, she went on to careers in the U.S. Postal Service, the Veteran's Administration, San Mateo County Deputy Public Guardian, Drug Rehabilitation Counselor, Investigator for the Chicago Dept. of Child and Family Services and finally working 30 years for the U.S. Census Bureau, up until the onset of her illness.
Known as the "Mother of Agent Orange", when employed as a Veteran's Benefits Counselor for the V.A. in Chicago, she investigated and made public the link between the use of the defoliant Agent Orange in the Vietnam War and its effect on the veterans that served there. This resulted in forcing the V.A. into changing its policies to include exposure to Agent Orange as a service related illness/disability. She received many accolades for her courageous and determined actions, including the American Legion Unsung Heroine Award. In 1986 the movie "Unnatural Causes" starring John Ritter and Alfre Woodard debuted, chronicling these events of her life.
Guided by her Buddhist faith and always an activist, Maude volunteered for many community programs throughout her life. Her favorites included, U.N. Election Observer in Nicaragua, Library Commissioner for the City of Richmond, CA, a reading mentor for disadvantaged children and election poll worker.
Her lists of accomplishments were not ones that necessarily benefited her in this lifetime but they were ones that benefited her community and the world.
Memorial Services will be conducted at 1:00pm, June 15, 2019 at Nichiren Shoshu Myoshinji Temple, 2631 Appian Way, Pinole, CA 95464.
In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests donations be made to the charity of the givers choice in memory of Maude Elmore-DeVictor.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Maude Elmore-DeVictor
dennis novak
May 2, 2022
belated sympathies from an old va co-worker. she did good.
Aidah Shabazz
July 17, 2020
Just read about Maudes passing. My family and I express our deepest condolences. While I was a student at Southern University in Baton Rouge, I became pregnant with a daughter but never told the father. I later married someone else and she thought my husbands was her father intolerant she saw her birth certificate and asked me. I told her that I never told her biological dad about her and helped her write a letter to The Chicago Sun Times Action Time to help find him, and Maude was assigned this task. Many months later Maude contacted my daughter that her father had been killed in a car accident while helping someone changing a tire on the highway. She passed the information on to the fathers family and they welcomed my daughter immediately, who was then 16 years old. She is now 57 years old and continues having a wonderful relationship with her fathers family. AND many years later I met Maude at a Buddhist meeting. I will forever be grateful.
Aidah Anjail Shabazz
Chicago
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Heather Bowser
July 31, 2019
Thank you. You helped so many Vietnam Veterans and their families, including my own.
Paul Cox
June 12, 2019
Maude was an extraordinary soul. Her early recognition of the damage Agent Orange had on Vietnam War veterans--and her tireless fighting for them--set the stage for the tremendous struggle for recognition of a broad range of environmental insults. It was not only for veterans but for anyone exposed to deadly chemicals by an indifferent government and profit focused industries. Thank you, Maude!
Claire Youmans
June 12, 2019
I remember when we met -- how you wanted to go to where my ancestors were from and I wanted to go to where yours were from, and how we laughed over that and were friends ever after. Fare well, Buddhist sister. I send you on wings of Daimoku.
Bill Breen
June 8, 2019
Semper Fidelis, R.I.P.
June 7, 2019
Our deepest sympathy to you and your family in this time of loss. Maude was truly a special person, and her courage and compassion were beyond words. We will miss our dear friend greatly, but her impact on us and others will be a forever one.
Annie Luginbill and Joel Greenberg
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