Devon Beer

1921 - 2017

Devon Beer
1921 - 2017
Devon was born November 23, 1921, in Guymon, Oklahoma, to Lula Lorine Markham and Jesse George Beer; he had an older brother and three younger sisters. The family relocated from Oklahoma to Idaho during the dust bowl days of the early 1930's. Devon graduated from Nampa High School in 1940, where he had participated in boxing, wrestling, and track.
In 1941, the family returned to Oklahoma for a visit with relatives; it was at a family picnic during that visit that he met Willadean Gloden, the sister of one of his cousin's husband. They were marrried March 7, 1942, and their son, Larry, was born in December of that year. They were married for 74 years, until Willadean's passing away last year.
Devon had entered active service with the Army in August of 1942, and after basic training in Texas, he was trained as a Medical Technician and as a Surgical Technician; as the latter, he served in the European Theater (England) for 25 months and rose through the ranks to Staff Sergeant, being discharged in October of 1945.
Following the war, they dry-land farmed in Oklahoma, where their second son, Stephen was born in 1949. In 1953, they relocated to Nampa, Idaho, where they continued farming for a while. Devon subsequently entered the retail workforce , where he made a number of lasting friendships, until his retirement in 1970. Some of Devon's achievements included becoming a Deacon in the Church, becoming a private pilot, owning a champion cutting horse, and sinking a hole-in-one.
Devon passed away peacefully at home on Monday morning, May 22, 2017. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Eldon Beer, his sisters Freda Lorene Beer and Betty (Beer) Jessen, and his wife Willadean (Gloden) Beer. He is survived by his two sons: Larry (Teddy) Beer, Walla Walla, WA, Stephen Beer, Plano, TX; three granddaughters: Dana Beer and Kari Beer Zehner, Walla Walla, WA, and Danette Beer Drypolcher, Goodyear, AZ; two great-granddaughters: Alexandria Zehner (John) Brown, Walla Walla, WA, and Brie'An Drypolcher, Goodyear, AZ; three great-grandsons: Zach Zehner, Nick Zehner, and Ethan Zehner, Walla Walla, WA; and a great-great-grandson: John Eric Brown, III, Walla Walla, WA.
Visitation will be Friday, May 26, 2017 from 9:00 AM until the time of service at 10:00 AM at Alsip and Persons Funeral Chapel, 404 10th Avenue South, Nampa, ID. Interment Cloverdale Cemetery in Boise with full military honors.