Mildred Fay DeVos was born on October, 17th, 1931 in Tucson, AZ. Where she joined her mother and father, and older siblings Mabel, Francis and Herb. After her father died in 1933. She moved with her family to Monmouth, OR. She graduated from Monmouth High School in1949 and Oregon College of Education (now Western State University) in 1953 with a teaching degree.
Mildred taught in Forest Grove for two years before accepting a position teaching on the Air Force Base in Japan for 56-57 school years. When the school year finished she flew around the world before making her way back to the states.
She flew from Japan to the Philippines, Saigon, Vietnam, and Cambodia where she visited Angkor Wat Temple. The landed in Bagdad but they did not de-plane as there was a coup attempt in progress. Then on to Istanbul, Turkey where she visited the Blue Mosque and other tourist sites. Her next stop was Bangladesh, India where she saw the burning of the bodies on the Ganges river, the Taj Mahal. Then on to Grease, Rome, Italy where she saw the catacombs and attended the Worlds Fair in Brussels Belgium. Her last two stops were Paris, France and England, where she stayed on the air force base with her oldest stepbrother and his wife and daughter. While there, the 4 of them took a trip to Scotland in a VW Bug. Then she was off to London by train and saw all the sights there before returning to the US via San Francisco, then to Portland where her fiancée Donald Burkey met her at the gate with a dozen red roses.
Mildred met Don while attending the Baptist church in Forest Grove, OR. They were married in Monmouth, OR December 27th,1958. They moved to Aloha, OR and began attending the Aloha Church of God. They added to their family with a son Paul and a daughter Katherine (Kathy). Over the years they had many family adventures, camping, fishing, hiking, and backpacking.
Mildred worked as church secretary from the early 70’s to 1981 for the Aloha Church of God. In 1981 Mildred retired from working as church secretary so she could join Don in going south in the winter. For many years they enjoyed their time as snowbirds in various parts of Arizona.
Mildred was a devoted wife to her husband of 56 years and a caring Mother to her children.
Mildred is survived by her children, son Paul and daughter Kathy, Her brother Herb DeVos from Springfield, OR and her sister Francis Styles of San Diego, CA and many nieces and nephews.
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