Violet DeVos, age 87, of Marshall, Minnesota, died on Friday, March 19, 2021, at the Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 23, 2021, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall, Minnesota. Interment will follow in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. A walk-through visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., on Monday, March 22, 2021, at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Marshall. The evening will conclude with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., on Tuesday at the church. Occupancy limits and social distancing must be observed throughout all services. Masks are still required at all public indoor gatherings. Due to family health issues, flowers cannot be accepted. Please designate any memorials to the Veteran’s Memorial at Memorial Park in Marshall or Prairie Home Hospice in Marshall. Thank you.
Violet Eileen DeVos was born on May 17, 1933, in Marshall, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Henry and Olive (Tibbits) Matthews. Vi was baptized and confirmed in her youth, attended country school in Lynd, Minnesota, before graduating from Lynd High School with the class of 1951. On August 30, 1951, Violet was united in marriage to Edward DeVos at St. Clotilde Catholic Church in Green Valley. Vi and Edward farmed for many years before leaving the family farm upon its sale in 1970. Vi worked in a variety of roles after moving to Marshall with the family including, in home daycare, Weiner Memorial Hospital, and Kelco Marshall Foods. Vi finished her working career, and retired, from Schwan’s in 1993. Vi loved her work at Schwan’s and the people she worked with and helped as an insurance benefits administrator. Vi loved and served her God, family, and community in many ways. She was a faithful member of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall and served in various roles and was a pioneer for women in the church. Vi taught CCD, was a communion distributor, and was one of the first female lectors. Vi also was a past president of CCW, and active in the Saint Mary Bible study for over 12 years. She served two terms as president of the parish council and was on the Holy Redeemer School Board. Vi was proud of her country, and her husband, and was active in the VFW Auxiliary where she served two terms as president, the American Legion Auxiliary where she was a scholarship chairman for many years, and was a lifetime member of the DAV Auxiliary. Vi was a 4H leader, active at the Marshall Area Senior Center where she served as president for a time and enjoyed the friends she met at the West Side Club. Violet DeVos will be remembered as a fair, consistent, loving, and caring person who was a great mom and friend to many. She had a caretaker’s heart and will be dearly missed by many. Some of her other enjoyments included time spent at the cabin on Nest Lake in Spicer, reading, playing cards, and being a host to family and friends including the annual “DeVoy-LaVos” Labor Day gathering for many years.
Vi died on Friday, March 19, 2021, at the Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center. She reached the age of 87 years, 10 months, and 2 days. Blessed and eternal be her memory.
Vi is survived by her four children, JoAnn Gilbertson of Marshall and her children: Angela Gilbertson (Brad Pohlen) of St. Leo, Amanda Gilbertson of Cottonwood, Aaric Gilbertson of Russell, Amberly (Jeremy) German of Canby; Jane (Randy) Fox of Marshall and their children: Jason (Lisa) Fox of Johnston, IA, Christopher (Jamie) Fox of Sioux Falls, SD; Janet (Alan “Smiley”) DeVos-Johnson of Marshall and their son: Quinton Johnson of Washington DC; John (Stephanie) DeVos of Marshall and their children: Brennan, Alexandra, and Halle DeVos of Marshall; 14 great-grandchildren; sibling, Lowell (Shirley) Matthews of Apache Junction, AZ; many nephews, nieces, other relatives and friends. Violet is preceded in death by her mother, Olive Matthews; father and stepmother, Henry and Jessie Matthews; husband, Edward DeVos; and five sisters, Hope, Faith, Lola, Lulu, and Ruby.
